


A Furry Little Problem and a Mass of Feathers

by Obscuratus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Multi, Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Canon Storyline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:34:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29750697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Obscuratus/pseuds/Obscuratus
Summary: - Marauder's Era FanFic- Non-Canon- Does not follow 1970's fashionA Marauder's Era fan fiction where Voldemort never happens and a new character comes in play (Nyx Volant).Think of the typical Marauder's Era storyline, but through a different pair of eyes. This is a slow burn and there isn't too much angst.Warning: some parts of the storyline is modified, even just small details.
Relationships: Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Regulus Black/Mary Macdonald, Remus Lupin/Nyx Volant





	1. Chapter One

Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were already fully aware of each other, as they sat opposite and passed small smiles whenever they made eye contact, as they were both trying their best to ignore the ongoing conversation next to them that happened to be about the importance of blood purity. As it had already been one full hour, they learned the names of the other pupils whom they were sharing a compartment with; Lucius Malfoy, a somewhat tall bleached blond, was the boyfriend of Narcissa Black, a natural yellow blonde; Bellatrix Black was a witch with eyes that seemed to shine too much whenever the word "mudblood" came up; Andromeda Black, a dark brown haired witch that looked as though she'd heard the conversation repeated too many times, was the middle sister of Bellatrix and Narcissa. They all were pure-bloods, and both Peter and Remus now felt uncomfortable, as they were both half-bloods.

The two first-years kept quiet and were thankful that the group of four seemed unaware of their existence. However, the Slytherins were fully aware of the raven haired girl that was sitting between the window and Bellatrix, and across from Lucius.

"So what's your name?" Bellatrix asked with a small smile. When the younger girl didn't respond (or even look away from the window), the eldest Black sister narrowed her eyes as the smile faltered. "Excuse me?" she said through slight gritted teeth. She tapped on the girl's shoulder with only her index.

The first-year girl turned her head away from the window and seemed almost surprised when she had six pairs of eyes on her. She pulled out her wand a gave it a wave. She hummed in question. "Hm? Sorry, I was using the deafening charm," she explained, fitting her wand back into the fitting hoop of her black vest, which was worn over a white, button-up shirt.

"Aren't you a first year?" Lucius asked nonchalantly, yet taking offense by her words and being curious of her abilities. 

"My parents gave me their time to teach me," the eleven-year-old said. Her words were enunciated perfectly and weren't signing any sort of negativity - just neutral. 

"It seems they have," Lucius said, eyeing the quality of her vest. "So what is your name," he looked up at the trunk above her, " _NYX_?" he ended bitterly. He knew there were no last names ending with an X in the Sacred Twenty-Nine. 

"Well that is my name, not my initials," answered the raven haired girl, whom they all now knew as Nyx.

Lucius took a breath in. "And your surname?" Bellatrix pushed with another sour smile. She had her eyes pierced at the first-year.

Nyx met her gaze and gave a polite expression. "Unimportant," she said simply. Peter wanted to laugh in the Slytherins' faces, but thought better of it. He could see that behind Nyx's small smile, she was not going to give in. At least not yet.

"So then your parents," Narcissa pitched in, "if they bothered to teach you before you've gone to school, they _must_ believe magic ability is important?" She had her head tilted slightly, obviously wanted more information than what her question asked for.

"Yes, they are both quite looking forward to how I do in the academic field," said Nyx promptly. 

"I'll make this easy," Bellatrix said impatiently. "What are you?" Her smile was now completely gone, and her eyes were wide with her brows furrowed.

"Human being." Nyx held out her hand. Remus could now tell that her grin was full of amusement, and he found himself mirroring it. "And you are?"

Bellatrix didn't take her hand. "I don't think you know who you're talking to," she spat in a raised pitch. 

"What? Eldest daughter of Cygnus and Druella in the House of Black?" Nyx asked. "Or are you referring to your status as a seventh year Slytherin?" Nyx cocked her head, her smile now gone and replaced with a look of innocence.

Bellatrix looked as though she was going to eat her alive. She was reaching for her wand in her pocket when a knock came from the glass door.

"Lucius, you wouldn't mind making room for the two of us?" said the small boy with rough black, shoulder-length hair. He was standing next to a girl with fire-red hair.

"Not at all," Lucius said with a smirk.

"Nixie, Nyx. . ." Bellatrix trailed, finding herself grinning again. "Get out," she finished through her teeth.

Nyx nodded without a readable expression on her face and stood up, took down her briefcase-sized trunk, and turned back to face the three Slytherin sisters. "Well, it was a pleasure meeting my cousins. Good day." She gave a nod and tried to make her way to the door, but was stopped by Bellatrix, who had stood up in front of her.

Lucius took the hint and turned to the two first-year boys. "You two can leave," he said.

Without hesitation, Peter got up and took down his trunk, while Remus just stood and eyed Bellatrix warily. "Care to elaborate?" Bellatrix asked as Peter exited the compartment. 

"Second cousin once removed, to be precise," Nyx corrected, not breaking eye contact. "Let's just say, Marius wasn't a squib," she countered.

Bellatrix tensed as she lifted her head back up high. "Are you supposed to be his granddaughter?" she asked.

"Exactly. Now, pardon me, but I do believe I am leaving this compartment." With that, Remus took down his trunk and left to the hall, where the other two first-years then took their places in the seats Peter and Remus used to occupy. Nyx then breezed past Bellatrix and into the hall. She had a hand on the glass door when she said, "Nyx Volant."

"Wait!" Lucius said before Nyx could slide the door shut all the way.

"I would like to get going," Nyx said, now adding a hint of rudeness to her tone.

"We're very sorry for our attitude. We would just like to make sure that whoever we acquaintance with is pure-blood," Narcissa said quickly.

"We would like you to stay," Andromeda said. "If that would be without bother to you?"

"Maybe I'll come back by later. But for now, I'd like to go meet Sirius before the sorting," Nyx said. "Is that all?" she said impatiently.

"How shall we make it up to you? For our rude behavior, I mean," Bellatrix said.

Nyx thought for a moment. "Happen to know which compartment Sirius is occupying?"

"C16," answered the dark-haired first-year boy. "We were just there. He's in a mood, so beware," he said, his nose scrunched and his brows furrowed.

"Why thank you," Nyx said. "Now I don't suppose you could have a box of Bertie's Botts delivered there?" she asked. Once the four had given a nod, Nyx closed the door shut and left from sight.

" _Remus Lupin_ , _Sirius_ , and _Nyx_?" The three nodded at the boy with glasses and messy jet-black hair. "Well I'm James Potter," he said flatly. James was between Peter and Nyx (who was then again, next to the window), and Sirius was next to Remus (Sirius in front of Nyx). 

Remus nodded politely, as did Peter and Nyx. "So you three came from the same compartment as my cousins?" Sirius asked, eyeing Nyx curiously.

"Yeah," Peter said. 

James looked between Sirius and Nyx. "I'm sorry," he said, getting Sirius's attention. "But are you two like siblings or something?" he asked.

It was true, Nyx and Sirius looked very much alike. Remus had remembered each of the three sisters from the other compartment, and honestly, he thought she looked so much more like Sirius, than she did to even Bellatrix.

"No-"

"We're second cousins."

Sirius widened his eyes. "You? _My_ cousin?" he asked, looking her up and down. "I don't even know you," he sneered.

"Well my name is Nyx, we're cousins, and we're in the same room. Now you know me," she said with a smile, which Remus recognized to be amused.

"Yeah, I get that. But I don't remember my mother ever mentioning Dorea Potter even having children," Sirius spat, crossing his arms.

"Dorea Potter? Like my aunt?" James asked.

"She didn't. I'm Marius's grandchild," Nyx said, ignoring James.

Sirius found himself glaring at her, daring her to look away. "So then you're just a half-blood. _Or_ just a filthy _mudblood_?"

The other three boys tensed, but Nyx didn't flinch as she searched Sirius's eyes. It was silent for what felt like hours to Sirius, as he was trying his best not to look away. He remembered meeting Dumbledore at the Three Broomsticks; her eyes reminded him of how Dumbledore looked at him - like he was looking into his mind or soul. No, they weren't grey or blue; her eyes were a brilliant red brown color. But they did have the same effect - almost. Dumbledore's eyes were warm. Her's . . . not so much. It was like finding the right wand all over again. 

"Do you actually believe in that shit?" Nyx asked, but it seemed as though she already knew the answer.

Finally, Sirius looked away, feeling exposed. He met the glares of the other three boys. He wasn't going to give in. He _did_ believe in blood purity. It's everything he's ever been taught. "I don't _care_ if you're related to me, or you think you're apart of the House of Black. Marius was burned off - he was a stupid squib. He doesn't belong on the tree and neither do you."

"Do you want to leave?" James said, not really asking with his tone. "I actually thought you were pretty cool. Guess not," he said, now looking at the raven-haired boy in disgust.

"Yes, actually I-" Sirius met the sharp gaze of the girl and relaxed back in his spot. "-Am fine here."

"Does the surname Volant ring a bell?" Remus asked. He could feel the glare being pointed at him by the girl.

"Yes. Why?" Sirius asked.

Remus was now smirking slightly. "I'm not so familiar. I was wondering if you could tell me about them?" 

"Pure-bloods that are direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself. Nobody knows if they are still around today - my family hasn't been able to get into contact with them," Sirius said, looking at Remus suspiciously.

"Maybe they've just been ignoring you," Remus said. Both him and Peter were trying their best not to laugh. He swiped a look to Nyx.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up," she said under her breath. Her face was growing red with embarrassment. "Don't you dare," she whispered.

"We are the House of Black. If they were around, they'd respond!" Sirius countered.

Peter and Remus broke out laughing. James eyed the four with wide and confused eyes.

"What? Know any yourself!?" Sirius asked, almost yelling.

"Her!" Peter said, pointing to Nyx while he laughed.

Sirius's sneer dropped and his eyes widened. "You're a Volant?" he asked incredulously. Nyx nodded, not taking her glare off the laughing Peter. "You've been ignoring us!?" he asked, returning to his rude tone.

" _No_ ," Nyx said, now looking back to Sirius. "My father just loves living in the middle of nowhere," she said flatly.

"Same thing," Sirius said. "The ministry would still notify him." Why should he be afraid of being rude to this witch?

"Eh," Nyx shrugged.

The glass door slid open. "Cart for compartment C16?" said the woman tending the trolley.

"The whole thing?" Nyx asked, standing up.

James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius all passed curious glances.

"Yes, compartment A07 has already paid," said the woman when Nyx tried giving her a couple galleons.

Nyx looked at the cart. "Is there like more packages of all this?" she asked, looking down at the mass of sweets.

"Why yes, in the back," the woman answered.

"Oh, okay, good," Nyx said. "Well, thank you," she said awkwardly, taking of the short cardboard box off the first shelf of the trolley. She turned around and handed it to the wide-eyed Remus. "One sec'," she said, before taking the bottom shelf. "Thank you?" she said.

"Anytime, dear," the woman said in an amused tone. She closed the compartment door and started her way to the last train section.

"You all better be hungry 'cause I ain't eating this on my own," Nyx said, smiling wide.

Sirius stared at all the sweets in the two boxes. He had never been allowed to have any at Grimmauld. He hadn't even seen the brands until he had been down Diagon Alley. 

Nyx sat against the train's wall that held the window, the box in front of her. Remus followed her actions and set the box on the ground in front of him. Nyx noticed the silence and looked back up from the lollipop. "What?"

"Who bought this?" James asked, taking his eyes of the sweets.

"Cousins," Nyx answered with a smirk. "Just pretended to agree with them and now . . . this!" she cheered.

Sirius looked to Nyx. "You mean Bella did something nice?" he asked, almost horrified.

"Oh, she worships me now!" Nyx laughed. "I kind of want to run down the halls yelling for if people want free candy just to piss her off!"

James and Peter couldn't help but laugh along. Remus also was smiling - the Slytherins deserve it.

Sirius opened his mouth, but no words came out. Soon, Peter, James _and_ Remus were on the ground taking their time on the sweets.

"Oi, Sirius," Nyx said after ten minutes or so. "Take this," she said.

Sirius caught the bean and looked down at it. It was white with golden brown. "What is it?" he asked.

The four all looked up at him. "What do you mean?" James asked.

"I've never had one, that's what I mean," he said, shifting uncomfortably.

James was about to question, but then decided he wasn't going to act like Sirius was a friend. "Well go on," Nyx said.

Sirius plopped the bean in his mouth. His face lit up slightly. "It tastes sweet like . . . chocolate and crackers and . . ." he didn't know how to describe it. "Maybe a pudding?" he said. "What is it?" he asked again.

"Sounds like a s'more," Remus said. Sirius furrowed his brows. "You've never had one?" Remus asked, blinking.

"I don't even know what a 's'more' is," Sirius said.

"Oh, you are so missing out," Nyx said. "But you'll find out what that is soon enough. Come on," she said, patting in front of her for him to sit down. "These are Bertie's Botts Every Flavored Beans. You could get good tasting ones, and you could get some that taste bad."

"I remember when I got one tasting like cockroach," Peter grimaced.

Sirius widened his eyes. "So you have no idea what it'll be?" They nodded. "And you just handed me one without me even knowing it could be burnt teeth?" he asked.

"Precisely," Nyx grinned. "Let's start rounds," she offered, taking off the lid of another sweet to use it like a tray for the beans.

"Ooh! Yes!" James agreed, placing his uni-bar down.

"Why do you guys eat these if you could end up disgusted?" Sirius asked.

"Because it's fun!" Peter said. 

Because it's _fun_. Sirius watched Nyx place five beans onto the tray. They each took one and held it with their thumbs and indexes. 

"Three, two, one," Nyx said before they all put the beans into their mouths. 

"Eugh!" Peter grimaced, spitting the bean out into a stray wrapper.

"Oi! No spitting it out!" James said, obviously proud of himself for choosing the strawberry bean.

"I swear that was dead fish!" Peter said, scrunching his nose. 

"Well I got coconut," Remus said.

"I have metal," Nyx said, forcing down the bean. "And I don't mean like cutlery."

"I got steak," Sirius said, shrugging.

"Okay, for now on, no spitting it out. You have to eat it," James said as Nyx placed more beans on the tray. 

The five took their beans and placed them in their mouths.

James immediately spit his out. 

"James!"


	2. Chapter Two

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"What?"

Minerva McGonagall took the hat of the short haired boy and waited for him to slowly make his way to the second table.

Sirius held his breath as he tried not to look over to the Slytherin table, where he knew all the glares were coming from. He felt sick in his stomach and there seemed to be an entire ball in his throat. He swallowed hard after he sat down. He only remembered how to breathe once an upperclassman had clapped his back for celebration. Thoughts swirled in his mind. Why couldn't this have just been easy? He didn't feel brave at the moment - he only wished that he would never have to go back home.

As more students were sorted, he began to resurface. He'd ask for a switching of houses.

"Volant, Nyx," McGonagall said. Sirius looked up as he heard the talking falter into an absolute silence. 

The hat was placed upon her head. She could feel a tugging at her mind. 

"Ahem," the hat said.

Nyx then realized. "Oh, you work off of legilimency?" she questioned in a whisper. "Sorry," she said, allowing the hat into her mind.

The Sorting Hat let it go and continued its sorting. 

"Excuse me?"

"Hm?" the hat hummed in an impatient tone.

"Mind me asking who made you?" she asked quietly. 

"The four founders. Their knowledge is mine," the hat said.

"That's so cool! It's like speaking to each one of them! Can I ask more?" Nyx asked excitedly.

"I'm finding you as a Ravenclaw," the hat said, ignoring her question. "Maybe a Hufflepuff, too."

"Do you just look at past memories to determine?" she asked.

"I'll also be utilizing the fact that you're interrupting my sorting," the hat said.

"So if everything about you _is_ the founders, which one had the sass?" Nyx asked, smirking. "Ooh, I first meant that as a joke, but now it's an actual question."

"I'll have you know that this is the only time you'll ever get to speak with me," the hat said, irritation growing in it's voice. There was a pause. "Your mind is full of questions for me. Which one?"

Nyx thought for a moment. "Have you ever misplaced a student?" she asked finally.

The hat seemed almost surprised. "Not about the founders, eh?" it noted. "Well, I've never regretted a decision, but I always wonder what a person would have been like if they had been sorted elsewhere." The hat seemed to think it was now gaining more information with her words.

"Do you believe that if you know the house in which a person had been placed in, you can make proper assumptions about them?" Nyx asked after another pause.

"Not all Slytherins are mean, not all Hufflepuffs are nice. Not all Ravenclaws are wise, not all Gryffindors are brave. We simply cannot categorize them based on their placement in which they did not choose."

"And if they did choose?"

"People may end up with people they shouldn't. Slytherin: where you may find your real friends. That may just go all of the houses."

"You placed Sirius with the other three boys from our compartment - not in Gryffindor?" Nyx asked.

"We mustn't forget that the house _does_ play a role."

"You mean like a group of friends that are set for making a very successful company together would all end up in Slytherin, and a group of friends who would rather go with the flow would end up in Hufflepuff?"

"And a group of friends that are able to plan things out wisely together would go in Ravenclaw - one of the friends would not have to be as smart as the others," the hat added.

"And when they aren't friends, only enemies?" Nyx asked.

"Not everyone in the same house must get along. There are a lot of factors: your past, how you think, the people you'd like to be with, the house you want to be in, and so forth." The Sorting Hat and Nyx were silent for another moment. "You'd fit very well in Ravenclaw."

"Do you think I'd do well there?"

"I think you'd do well in any house - except for maybe Slytherin. You're very loyal and you persevere. . . . where would you like to go?" Nyx opened her eyes, looking to the second table. "I see. . ."

"It's not just about whose best for me, is it?" Nyx asked.

"And you are fine if you'd be placed only because of what's best for a stranger."

"I'm not going to place my whole future on someone I haven't met. But I have met Sirius, if he's whom you are referring to."

"Not just him. . . .You could be bettering others in different houses, too," the hat gave. The hat took in her thoughts. "I am no seer. Whatever you or I may think will happen is no promised. You could end up as enemies, but even then you could do so much better than you would have if you were friends. So let me ask you once more in different words: would you join a group for a future that you now know is randomized?"

She hesitated. "You mean walk blindfolded towards a future that betters everyone, but isn't guaranteed to better me?" 

"So you understand? . . . Yes, yes you do. . . ." the hat said, mainly to itself.

"I would."

"Better be . . . GRYFFINDOR!"

Nyx wore a wide smile as many cheered, even from other houses (with the exception of Slytherin). She felt the hat taken off her and looked up to Minerva.

"Five minutes and twenty-one," McGonagall said. "You took longer than I did. You're now a Hatstall," she said, with what seemed to be a pleased smile.

"O-oh, is that good?" Nyx asked, hopping off the stool and furrowing her brows.

"It is if you're in my house," McGonagall said, then released her with a nod.

Nyx made her way to the four boys she had shared more than half the train ride with. But before she sat down, she made sure to send a wink at the glaring Bellatrix.

"You were a Hatstall!" James mused. "Why? Which house?" he asked.

"First it was saying Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, then just Ravenclaw, and then . . .all these questions just started popping up," Nyx shrugged.


	3. Chapter Three

Within only a few seconds, the plates cleared and the platters refilled with sweets and desserts. Sirius watched as others happily took cubes of jello, slices of pie and cake, and even scoops of ice cream. He had never seen so many desserts in his life. Grimmauld wasn't about sweet and savory, it was always too salty and bitter and bland.

"I don't think I can have much more after the train ride," Peter said, looking sick as he eyed the bowl of Every Flavored Beans in front of him. 

"And we still have lots more to eat in our pockets!" James grinned. Nyx nodded in agreement as she took a sip of water.

"Is this like this every night?" Sirius asked the older student beside him.

"Yes, just, without the incredibly long speech," the girl said with a smile. Sirius nodded, a small bit of happiness taking a place inside him, as he now knew he'd get to try everything on the table.

He looked over to the Slytherin table. He found himself in a stare-off between his cousin Bellatrix. That's when he remembered his plan to switch houses - He didn't need to go making every Slytherin hate him when he'd be spending seven years with them. He looked away, back to the others that he'd had shared a compartment with. 

"Why didn't you want to tell him of your surname?" Remus asked Nyx quietly.

"You saw how the older Slytherins acted," Nyx explained. "Didn't want to be prioritized over something I simply cannot change," she shrugged.

"Doesn't matter where you come from-" Remus started.

"-'Matters where you go," Nyx agreed. "Alternatively, though, it's the present that makes us who we are." She grinned.

Remus thought for a second. "Your parents do teach you a lot," he said.

Nyx tilted her head either way. "Did when I was younger - 'Basically poisoned me into wanting to learn on my own. That's what I do now, at least. Just read books after books."

"How about the novels?" Remus asked, wondering if he'd be able to talk about muggle books with her. He hadn't been able to get any wizarding fiction books.

"Oh, I do take my time with those. My father says I'll be buried with the Great Gatsby in my coffin," Nyx said, rolling her eyes.

"My dad always gets mad at me for spending too much time in my room," Remus agreed.

"I always avoid that by reading in the woods. It's very quiet too, so then it's a win-win." 

"So you _do_ live in the middle of nowhere!" Remus laughed and Nyx nodded.

Sirius thought about their words. What if he couldn't switch houses? He knew James as a pure-blood already - his parents wouldn't mind him being friends with him as much. But Remus and Peter . . .not so much. But he did have Nyx, who was obviously finding out more about him than he wanted. 

Soon, the five tables were cleared and the prefects from each of the four houses led the first-years to their common room. It felt like ages that they had been climbing the stairs, but Remus didn't seem the least bit bothered. 

"Password?" It was a big fat woman in a door-sized portrait. 

"Lion's mane," the prefect said, and the portrait swung open. The ten first-years followed the prefect in through the hole, finding a fire-lit, warm, cozy common room that was decorated in red and gold. Most of the girls up front made gasps, as did James, before he yelled: "cool!" 

"Girls are the first, boys the second," the prefect said, showing the two staircases. "The first dormitory you'll see is yours. Your trunks have already been brought up." With that, the prefect left back through the portrait hole.

Sirius stood as he watched James and Peter race each other up (Remus was walking casually behind), and a blonde girl and a dark brown haired girl race their way up to the girl's dormitory (the other four had already started talking to each other).

"Sirius, you coming?" Remus asked, poking his head out from around the wall of the staircase.

"Oh, yeah," Sirius said, now quickly making his way up with Remus.

"I call this one!" exclaimed James, bouncing onto one of the two beds next to the window. Peter took the other bed next to the window, and Remus took the one to the right of his. Sirius found that he didn't care which; One, he wasn't going to be here too long; and Two, he had never seen a bedroom so . . .nice looking.

A smile crept up on his face. Sirius turned, gazing upon the room that had four four-poster beds (each with curtains of red velvet), accompanied by tall, dark red-brown wooden dressers and nightstands, their trunks at the foot of their beds. 

"Is that your trunk?" the curly blonde asked.

"Hm? Oh, yeah," Nyx said, unlocking her trunk to show the extension charm placed on it. 

"That's so cool! I heard those are really expensive!" a girl with dark brown waves said.

"My parents know how to do the charm," Nyx said, hoping to shrug off the topic. "But my name's Nyx, and you guys are?"

"Marlene McKinnon," the curly blonde said as she started unpacking her trunk into one of the six dressers.

"Dorcas Meadowes," said one of the other girls. She had dark freckles running across her nose and cheeks, and had somewhat frizzy brown curly hair.

"I'm Alice Fortescue," said a girl with a black pixie haircut.

"Like the Fortescue of the ice cream shop down Diagon Alley?" Marlene asked with a wide smile.

Alice nodded her head. "That's my uncle."

"Sweet!" Marlene said. "Pun-intended!" she grinned.

The girl with brown waves rolled her eyes. "I'm Mary MacDonald."

"And I'm Lily Evans," said the redhead. Nyx recognized her to be the girl that was with the long, dark haired first-year boy that kicked her, Remus, and Peter out of their first compartment (not that any of them were going to complain). Lily didn't seem nearly as excited as the other girls, and she seemed a tad bit cold to Nyx, which she guessed because she had been hanging out with James and Sirius. James had told Remus, Peter, and Nyx of his and Sirius's meet with Lily and the other boy, Severus Snape; Sirius knew Severus even before the train ride. 

"You're the Volant girl, aren't you?" Marlene asked, turning to Nyx. "You were a Hatstall!" 

"Oh right!" Mary exclaimed. "What other house did it consider?" she asked.

"Oh, er, Ravenclaw, actually," Nyx said, shifting slightly. 

"I heard McGonagall was also a Hatstall, and with Ravenclaw, too," Alice said. 

Nyx nodded with a small smile, not sure what to say. Thankfully, a new topic was brought up as they all got the rest of their belongings unpacked.

"Did you guys see the black haired boy?" Mary asked, now sitting at the foot of her bed. "He was pretty cute."

"Who?" Alice asked.

"Er . . . I can't remember his name, but he was sorted into Gryffindor, too," Mary said.

"You mean Sirius?" Nyx asked.

"Yeah, that's his name!" Mary said, pointing. 

"Well he's a bit of a snob, if you ask me," Lily said, placing her wand and a charms book in the drawer of her nightstand. 

"He's . . . complicated," Nyx said, feeling bad Sirius, but still respecting what he would like to share. Nyx knew how the House of Black taught their children. She knew all about them.

"He's just as good as a Slytherin!" Lily retorted.

"Isn't that where your other friend, Severus, ended up?" Nyx asked, not showing a single sign of sneering or disgust. Lily went quiet. "But we mustn't make any assumptions on someone just because of what house they are placed in."

Lily furrowed her brows, confused as to why Nyx would make it seem as though she was now agreeing with her. "You should have heard what Sirius was saying to him. He just met him, he can give Severus a chance."

"From what I've heard, they do know each other," Nyx countered. 

Lily stiffened and turned to Mary. "Just try not to get wound up over the wrong sort."

"Oh, no, I don't want to date him!" Mary now laughed. "I was just simply making an observation!"

"He does kinda look good," Marlene agreed and Dorcas and Alice nodded.

"He's my cousin," Nyx said, and they all turned to her.

"You do kind of look like him," Mary said.

"Does that mean _I'm_ good-looking?" Nyx said wittily as she sat down on her own bed.

". . .I don't think you inherited that trait," Mary said with a smirk.

Nyx grabbed her pillow and threw it at the girl, laughing with the others. In a moment's time, pillows were flying across the room.


	4. Chapter Four

Sirius walked out of Dumbledore's office, feeling sick in the stomach. He couldn't switch houses. He'd be staying with the three other boys for seven years - a pure-blood in which he's already had two fights within the past week, and two half-bloods. At least he was now able to tell his parents that he _had_ tried to switch houses, but wasn't allowed to. And he was most grateful for Dumbledore doing just that himself.

"I already hate History of Magic," James said, sitting down next to Remus and in front of Peter. They had just got back from their last class of the day.

"Maybe Professor Binns was just excited because it's the first day," Remus said, shoveling some mashed potatoes onto his plate.

"Sorry to burst your bubble," an older looking Gryffindor sat down beside Remus, "but no, that's how Binns is. You'll love him to the center of Earth's core!" he smirked playfully. James groaned, as did Peter.

"What year are you in?" Remus asked him.

"Third," he answered. "The name's Noah McKinnon," he said, holding his hand out to the scarred boy. Noah had dark brown hair that was going in all different directions, due to the curliness, but it was still a little more tamed than James's.

"Remus Lupin," he said, taking the hand and shaking it. 

"Who's this?" Nyx asked, taking a seat beside Peter and in front of Remus.

"Noah McKinnon," Noah smiled.

"Marlene's brother?" Nyx asked.

"Marlene? Who's- oh right, almost forgot she existed - Yes, that'd be me," he grinned. 

"And I'd be his twin," said another Gryffindor that sat down beside Noah. "Elijah, but I prefer Eli." He also had brown hair like his twin's, except it looked to be brushed.

"I didn't know she had siblings," Nyx said.

"We pretend that we don't exist. And sometimes, if we're lucky, we'll forget that she truly does," Eli said. "Works out for the both of us," he shrugged. As more students filed in, the Great Hall got louder with chatter, especially Noah started calling out names like "Cammie!", "Camerone", and "Camerissa!". Then, a girl with straight blonde hair sat down beside Nyx.

"Will you two shut _up_!" the girl said.

"But we wanted to introduce you!" Noah said with a wide smile. 

"Aren't you the Headgirl?" Nyx asked, remembering her name coming up in the opening feast. "Cameron, right?"

"Yes, and you all are?" she said, forcing a smile as Noah and Eli made faces at her.

"Nyx Volant, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and I'm James Potter," James said.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you all," Cameron said.

"MEG! MEGALODON!"

"GANASTON!"

"Ooh, look! CARS! SONNIE! CARSON!"

A girl with wavy brown hair sat down beside Eli, while a boy with short ombre blonde hair sat beside Cameron. "I hate you," the two said at the same time to Noah.

"Are you _all_ siblings?" Peter asked.

"There's eight of us in total," the boy said, making the first-years' eyes go wide. "I'm Carson, and Megan and I are twins; we're sixth years. We have a younger brother that'll be coming here next year - his name's Nolan - and another younger brother that'll be coming here the year after that - his name's Xavier," Carson said. They all seemed to share the same blue eyes. "I'm actually a Ravenclaw, but due to other circumstances-" Carson looked over to his younger brother "-I'm sitting here for this meal." Noah smiled proudly.

"What's going on here?" Marlene said suspiciously, looking down at all her siblings. She had the other four Gryffindor girls with her, two of them on the other side behind Nyx.

"An introduction to the McKinnon's guide of living," Noah smirked.

Marlene rolled her eyes and then led her new friends to sit on the other side of Carson and Megan.

"Hey." Nyx turned her head to see Sirius sitting down beside Peter.

"Oh, hello," she said. 

"Marlene has seven siblings!" Peter said.

" _Seven_!?" Sirius asked, wide-eyed as he began to take some food from the platters.

"Let me guess," James said after he took a sip of his juice, "you're an only child?" he asked, brows slightly furrowed.

"I actually have a younger brother. And you?" Sirius asked.

"Only," James said, now feeling a bit foolish. "But my parents know how to teach good lessons," he said bitterly.

Sirius shot his head back up from his plate to glare at James. He opened his mouth but Nyx beat him to it. "I found out where the kitchens are." James lifted a brow as if to ask 'really?'. She went on. "Thinking about sneaking out tonight and going down there," she said, leaning into the table to talk quieter to them.

"Really?" Noah mused, leaning in too with Eli. The other siblings had not been paying attention.

Nyx nodded. "Maybe pick up some s'more supplies," she grinned. "Sirius here, has never had one."

The two boys dropped their jaws to Sirius. " _Never_!?" Elijah asked.

"I'm not allowed to have any sweets at my place," Sirius said flatly. 

"Oh, you'll love them!" Eli exclaimed. "Roast them in the fireplace of the common room!" Him and his twin were smiling wide with Nyx.

"Roast?" Sirius asked.

"Do you even know what they are?" Noah asked. "We'll show you, as long as you go with us to the kitchens!" he smirked. "Isn't that right, Nyx?"

"Very much so. I don't think Sirius here has had much excitement yet," Nyx challenged, looking past Peter to Sirius.

"I honestly think he's a bit boring," James said, smirking playfully. "Mind you, I'll go with you three!" he cheered and Sirius narrowed his eyes at him.

"Guys, it's only the first day of our second week here," Remus said warily. "And I don't think Filch or Peeves have much mercy."

"Don't worry, we won't get caught as long as you're not alone with Noah!" Elijah smirked.

"Get caught doing what?" Cameron asked before Noah could retort.

"No worries, Cammie, we'll be good. Just simply doing a favor for our new friend Sirius here! That is, if he's not too scared to go?" Noah asked, looking back to Sirius.

"I am not! I'll go!" Sirius said. Nyx, James, Eli, and Noah all smiled approvingly.

"What are you planning?" Cameron asked suspiciously.

"What if we were to tell you that Sirius has never once had a s'more?" Elijah asked. 

"Really?" Cameron asked, looking over to Sirius. "Whatever you're doing, stay away from the second and third floor tonight, Filch'll be monitoring there," she said, turning back to talk with Megan and Carson.

Noah and Eli wore devious smiles. "Sounds like we're all good."

"Shh . . ." Elijah said, waving for Sirius, James and Nyx to go ahead around the corridor.

The five made their way down two more staircases and around three more corners. "AH!" Eli screamed.

Noah lifted the eye shield of the metal helmet and let out a loud laugh. "Oh! That was hilarious!" James, Nyx and Sirius were now snickering.

Eli started tapping the shoulder of Noah impatiently. "Noah!"

"Wha- oh shit," Noah said, looking hesitantly at the scruffy cat that was starting its way back up a different set of stairs.

"I honestly hate that cat," Sirius said, pulling out his wand.

"We should go," Elijah said, and James, Nyx and Noah followed him back down the corridor.

The four heeled around quickly when they heard a blast, a loud 'RAAAWAYN', and another blast. "Sirius!" Nyx hissed, but she couldn't even help the wide and amused smile on her face.

The cat had both pairs of legs stuck together and was lying like a brick on its side. "Don't worry, it's temporary," Sirius grinned proudly, looking down at the petrified cat.

"I didn't know how much I could love you," James said, nearing Sirius while he admired the frozen cat.

"Me? Or the cat that's finally learned how to shut its mouth?" Sirius laughed.

"You two _better_ love each other because you might just end up here alone for the whole night if you don't hurry your arses up!" Nyx said, grabbing the sleeves of Sirius and James and tugging them to follow her and the twins.

Elijah tickled the pear, and the smaller portrait swung open. They all almost had to crawl as they made their way inside. "Welcome to the kitchens!" Noah said in a deep announcer's voice.

"Woah. . ." James said, looking at the massive kitchen. "This is where all the food is made? Who makes it?" he asked.

"House elves," Eli answered. "They're in their sleeping quarters right now, though." 

The five went through all the cabinets, looking for chocolate bars, marshmallows, and graham crackers. 

"So you two are like the pranksters of the school?" James asked, standing atop a counter to reach a tall shelf.

"We don't do pranks," Eli said. "Well, Noah here does, I don't."

"He only breaks the rules when its bettering himself. Not just to have fun!" Noah said is an exasperated tone as he widened his eyes dramatically. "I, though, earn myself many detentions each week!" he said proudly.

" _Seems someone doesn't know how to not get caught_ ," Nyx said, opening a pantry.

"Oi! I'm smart!" Noah retorted.

"You got P on half of your exams last year," Eli said flatly. "The other half, you were in the hospital wing because you had accidentally lit your robes on fire."

The three first-years let out snickers. "I took my exams _after_ I got out of the wing! I was _drugged_!" Noah said, holding a hand over his heart. "Give me some slack, already!"

"Oh, found them!" Sirius said, finding a large box that had gold writing of ' _S'mores Kit_ ' on it.

"Sweet!" James said, hoping down from the counter. "If Ms. Norris could see us now!" he grinned.

"Speaking of which," Eli said. "How long does that spell stay on?" he asked Sirius.

"Three days, why?" Sirius asked.

The other's eyes widened. "Thr-Three days!?" Eli asked, looking horrified.

"Mate! We're so caught now!" Noah said.

"No we aren't!" Sirius defended. "If we make it out of here without being seen, there's no proof it was us! Besides, think of all the other things we could do in that time!" 

James's face lit up. "And think of Filch's face when he finds his cat!" he said, pointing excitedly at Sirius.

"We better get out of here now, then," Eli said, leading them out of the hole. When they reached the petrified cat, Sirius bent down and picked it up by the stick-like tail.

"What are you doing?" Nyx asked.

"Stealing it," Sirius said, "obviously."

"What!? Are you insane!?" Elijah asked.

Sirius grinned. "Bring this back to the common room, dress it up a bit, and then put it somewhere where everyone'll see it!" Sirius looked like a child on Christmas with the frozen cat in his hand. 

"Sirius," James said slowly. "You are _brilliant_!" he finished with Noah.

"Ow!" 

"Well don't touch it after you just had it in the fire!" Nyx said, smacking his hand away from the hot sweet.

"How was I supposed to know it'd be hot!?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Because fire equals hot?" Noah said innocently with a toothy smile.

"Now keep it still." Nyx opened the pack of chocolates and crackers and held them up. Sirius then directed the golden marshmallow down onto the crackers with his wand (they were thankful they had just learned the levitating spell). "Try it," she said, handing the small treat to him.

Sirius inspected the s'more before taking a bite. His eyes lit up as he chewed it. "S'goo'!" he grinned, his mouth now holding the entire treat. Nyx rolled her eyes with a smile and started making her own after helping prep James's and Noah's. 

"Such a shame Ellie won't do pranks with me," Noah said after he swallowed his s'more. Elijah had gone straight up to bed, not wanting to look at the frozen cat that was now leaning upside-down against the wall. "I usually don't get caught when he's there."

"Ah, so he _is_ the smart one," James said.

"Okay, okay," Noah said, smiling, "but don't tell him I told you so."

James nodded in promise. Soon, Noah had gone up to be and so had Nyx. 

"What do you think we should do with the cat?" Sirius asked.

"I'm thinking we first dress it," James started.

"Then put it . . .?" Sirius said.

"In Remus's bed," they said together.

The two ran up the stairs with the cat in hand. The two were non-stop snickering as they wrapped the cat's neck with a thin scarf and even put socks on the pair of stuck-together legs. They then placed the cat gently under the covers of Remus's bed.


	5. Chapter Five

"What the _bloody_ hell!?"

James and Sirius broke out laughing, while Peter rose sleepily from his pillow to see what was going on.

"What is wrong with you guys!?" Remus asked, pulling back the curtain of his four-post and hopping out quickly. "Out of all the cats in the castle, you had to choose Ms. Norris!? Why does it have a scarf on!? And why is it petrified!? Which of you did this and when!?" he asked loudly. When Peter saw the dressed-up, frozen cat, he joined the laughing.

"Sirius did!" James laughed. "It'll only be for another two days!" James cheered.

"Are you guys insane!?" Remus asked, holding his crossed arms. "You know how much trouble we could get into!?" he asked, looking almost sick.

"Mate, relax," Sirius said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We won't get caught. It's simple!" he grinned.

"Yeah, Remus," James agreed. "Don't worry, we'll have her returned to Filch!" 

Remus turned to look at James. "You two," he said slowly, "are going to be the absolute death of me."

Sirius and James both wore smirks as James took the cat and hid it in his cloak.

"You look abnormally fat for your chicken bone legs," Sirius smirked.

"You better watch out," James said. "These legs could kick your arse!"

"I think you would just bounce right off!" Sirius laughed. James dropped his jaw. "My arse is the finest in this whole castle! Except for maybe Dumbledore's!" 

Remus shook his head as the three boys laughed and Ms. Norris fell to the floor. He'd wondered if he should be more scared now, than when the two were trying to throw hexes at one another.

"Black! Detention!" McGonagall yelled.

"What did I do!?" Sirius asked, looking at her as if he was offended.

"Open the cloak," she demanded.

"Wanting me to strip for you already?" Sirius smirked.

"Then points. Open. the. cloak."

Sirius rolled his eyes as he opened his cloak to reveal a small throw pillow. Behind Minerva, was James quickly sneaking out of the Great Hall and into the opposing corridor. 

"Why do you have a pillow?" McGonagall asked. 

"You obviously haven't been in one of Professor Binn's lectures," Sirius said with an innocent look.

"Another five points, Black," McGonagall said before leaving down the corridor. Sirius smirked. Everyone will be able to enjoy a 'furry' surprise next meal.

"That week's detention was worth it," James said as he laid down on the common room's couch. Sirius and James had spent most of their free time in the bathroom, the trophy room, the courtyard with broom prepping supplies, and the corridors doing nothing but cleaning.

"I still can't believe you two actually did that," Remus said in a whisper loud enough for them to hear. He was swallowing hard as he sat down across from Nyx and his eyes were blinking almost every second to try and keep open.

"You look exhausted," Sirius said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Remus said flatly, opening his book.

James wore a smirk while Sirius rolled his eyes. Sirius then got up from the ground and sat himself on the arm of Remus's chair. "Whatcha reading?"

"So now you're my friend? I thought you hated me," Remus said, before realizing what he was saying. "S-sorry."

But Sirius didn't hear the apology. Instead, he was slightly wide-eyed as he found that he had totally forgotten he was only a half-blood. Suddenly, his brows were furrowed and the corner of his lips were dragging. James saw this and mirrored his expression.

Nyx looked up. "Don't act like you have to hate him because your mother says you do. Grow a pair and speak for yourself." 

James's eyes widened, as did Peter's (who had just entered the common room), Remus's and Sirius's. Remus wondered how crazy this girl would have to be to say something like that to him - she knew how he was, and they were in the middle of the common room.

"I-I have my own voice!" Sirius retorted after a moment's pause.

"You know why none of us believe in that blood purity shit?" Nyx asked calmly.

"Because two of you are half-bloods, and the others were taught by the wrong people?" Sirius asked.

"It's because we are allowed to paint the walls of our bedrooms the colors we want," Nyx said, and then went back to doing her homework.

James, Peter, and Remus all furrowed their brows at her, wondering what that had to do with anything. Sirius knew, and honestly, he didn't know what to say. "Well-"

"Are the ceilings still grey?" Nyx asked, looking back up.

Sirius didn't notice the stopping of his breaths. He opened his mouth, but Nyx simply got up. 

"I'm tired, I'm going up to bed. Tomorrow we're starting flying class," she said, packing up her homework. "And Remus?" she asked when she was done.

"Hm?" he hummed.

"Don't tire yourself. Go to sleep," she said flatly before leaving.

There then was another silence. Remus looked to James, who was eyeing him expectantly. "What?"

"You heard her," James said. "Don't make Sirius petrify you," he smirked.

Remus took in a deep breath and got up. 

Sirius lay in his bed as he tried to sleep. He'd had wondered how Nyx knew the ceilings of the bedrooms in Grimmauld Place 12 were all grey - he guessed Marius had passed on that information. He thought about how bland his room back at home looked; there was little to no decoration. He opened his eyes and examined the bedding and curtains of his four-post. He _did_ believe in blood purity. It was everything he ever knew. _All he's ever been taught by Walburga and Orion._ And then again, he actually forgot the fact that Remus and Peter were half-bloods. He hadn't even thought to try and remember who's worthy of hanging out with.

He remembered before he was boarding the train. He had forgotten a special quill his Uncle Alphard had gifted him one year. He'd had asked his mother if she could send it by owl.

"If you couldn't remember then it must not be important."

Except that the quill _was_ important to him. He'd only forgotten it because they were in a rush that morning.

Another rule was to never question her words. 

He now found himself happy that his house wasn't switched. He remembered Bellatrix describing the Slytherin common room as dark and cold, in the dungeons, black-furnished, and fit for all of high honor. His sheets were red and his covers even had gold thread detailing. The velvet curtains seemed to shimmer with the bright moonlight. Sirius climbed out of his bed and looked around his room, thoroughly, for the first time. Candles were set on each dresser and shelf and nightstand. With a simple spell, he lit one and it glowed a warm yellow. He wasn't even allowed to have candles in his bedroom at Grimmauld. The quadrilateral rug on the floor had a gold lion on its hind legs, and the ceiling had what looked to be actual tree roots holding the lot up, and above James's nightstand, was a moving poster of the Wisborne Wasps. 

"Sirius? What are you doing?" Remus's voice was hoarse.

"Oh, Remus, I-I was just looking at the dorm." _Really? Did he have to say that?_ "I mean-"

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

"Y-yeah," Sirius said.

Remus nodded, his head poked through the curtains. "I keep waking up."

Sirius swallowed and nodded too. "What does your bedroom look like?" he asked abruptly.

"To be honest," Remus said sleepily. "A total mess most of the time."

"Really? But you seem like such a neat and organized person?" Sirius said, feeling very confused.

"I . . .have anxiety. Sometimes, I just . . . lack the motivation to function correctly," he said, not lying on a single word. 

"My mother would have a fit if there were a single sock not in the hamper or dresser," Sirius muttered. 

Remus blinked his eyes open more. "She's strict?"

"Very," Sirius said, not even taking in the fact that Remus had heard him. "She's . . . well, a bitch-" his eyes went wider than they have in the past two weeks "I mean-"

"Sirius, it's fine to have your own opinions," Remus said, shifting to lay down on his stomach.

"But she isn't a bitch," he said quickly.

"Sounds like you think she is and you're too afraid to admit it," Remus said, using his arm as a pillow.

Sirius was silent. It was too late to be dealing with this. "I think I should get to sleep," he said, then climbed into his four-post and drifted away from the world.


	6. Chapter Six

"Marlene?"

Marlene looked up from the common room's sofa to her older sister Megan. "Hm?"

"Did you steal my wand?" Megan asked.

"No," Marlene said, and went back to holding the ice on Lily's ankle. Flying definitely was not something Lily would grow fond of anytime soon.

" _Marlene._ "

"I didn't!" Marlene shot. "I have no business in having two wands, and I have no business with you."

Megan rolled her eyes then noticed Noah entering the common room more quieter than usual. She skipped over in front of him, stopping him from sitting down at one of the tables. "Give me my wand back," she demanded, holding out her hand. She was surprised when the wand was returned with no snark or even any words. She wore a scowl. "Noah, you knew I needed it for my next class! You can't just go around stealing people's wands! I don't want to have to act as a babysitter!"

Noah said nothing as he took out some blank parchment from his bag and ink and quill.

"Noah," Megan said firmly.

"Not my fault you aren't responsible for your own things," Noah hissed, writing his name at the top of the paper, along with the date.

" _Responsible for my things_?" Megan repeated.

"Maybe you shouldn't have left it in Professor Babbling's classroom. Be happy that I saw it first before the one Hufflepuff boy that seems to be obsessed with you," Noah said, now looking at her. Just then, Mary and Nyx were making their way down the stairs, while Megan stayed frozen. "Now, I'll accept your apology and offer, so please, if you could transfer your knowledge on runes to my page at this moment, that'd be amazing."

"Look, I'm sorry for making an assumption," Megan forced. "But I can't just give you the answers. Try the library for once if you want to raise your grade."

"My class ended an hour ago! Where do you think I've been!?" Noah asked. He pulled two books of Ancient Runes out of his book bag and showed her them. "And I've been trying this over and over again for the past two years! These textbooks aren't helping my memory in which you guys always have to compare to a goldfish." He rolled his eyes and opened one of the books to the Glossary.

Megan said nothing as she left with a deep breath. 


	7. Chapter Seven

"Just go _away_!" Lily hissed finally. 

James's eyes widened at the sudden outburst. He swallowed and went back to his and Sirius's counter. "I hate Snape."

"Same," Sirius said sullenly, looking at his still cauldron - it was supposed to be bubbling by now. "I think we need Slughorn," he said.

"Eh, we'll be fine," James shrugged, not giving a single care to the incorrect potion. There was a slight yell. All heads turned to the back.

Remus and Peter were standing behind their empty cauldron; the content had clumped together and was _crawling_ on the desk. Remus stood there looking like a tomato with his face so red. Peter, instead, watched the new 'creature' with amusement. "I'll name it Billy."

Slughorn flicked his wand at the glob and it disappeared into thin air. "Very well, then. Just a little too much of the wrong ingredient!" he said merrily. "Back to work, now, back to work."

Lily was working with Severus at counter 4, Marlene was working with Alice and Dorcas at 5, and Nyx was working with Mary at 7. Counters 4 and 7 was definitely in the better of the class; James and Sirius were not blind.

Snape screamed as his greasy hair turned an ugly pinkish-orange color. Most laughed, some grinned, and two stood proudly together.

"Detention, Mister Potter, Black."

"I hate that boy! Both him and Black! They're both so . . .-"

"Hot?" Mary asked. Lily's eyes grew with annoyance.

"Mary, you think everyone's hot," Nyx said with a smirk, flopping down on the foot of Mary's bed.

"I do not!" Mary protested.

"Do so," Marlene said, smiling wide.

"Mary _does_ have the lowest standards!" Nyx said wittily. 

"Oh you two better put your wand up your arses or I'll do it for you!" Mary shot, though she was also smiling.

"Damn, Mary, who knew you were so kinky?" Marlene teased.

Alice dropped her mouth and covered it with her hand. Lily's eyes were wide and Dorcas joined Marlene and Nyx's burst of laughs. " _Marlene_!" Mary hissed after she found herself to speak.

Nearly fifteen minutes passed before all six of the girls regained their breaths and had settled down a bit. Abruptly, Marlene said "I wanna go cliff jumping."

Dorcas gasped in excitement. "I've done it before and it's amazing!" she exclaimed, sitting upright on her bed.

"You'd have to push me off," Alice said, sitting up too.

"I . . .don't know if I'd do it," Mary said. They all had now gone to the foot of their beds.

"It's been a couple years, but I still remember the fun I had," Dorcas said. "And how freakishly cold the water was!" she laughed.

"My younger brother loves to cliff jump, no matter how cold the water," Nyx said, "he freaks me out sometimes," she said with a laugh.

"You have a younger brother!?" Mary mused.

"Mary's next question: Is he hot?" Marlene said, now laughing with Dorcas and Lily. Alice rolled her eyes, as did Mary.

"How old?" Mary asked, ignoring Marlene's comment.

"He'll be coming here next year," Nyx answered. 

"Ah, maybe him and my younger brother Nolan will share a dorm room," Marlene said. "Do you have any other siblings?" she asked.

Nyx shook her head. "Just him."

"What about you guys?" Mary asked the others.

Dorcas and Alice shook their heads, while Lily spoke up. "My twin, Petunia. She's non-magic," she said without tone.

"Bet she's nice," Alice said.

Lily didn't respond. She didn't know how to. 

"Well I have an older brother - Everett, he's a fifth year Hufflepuff," Mary concluded.

The girls talked a little longer before Nyx spoke up; she had been writing in scrolls of parchment, not really listening to their conversation.

"It's time for dinner," Nyx announced, looking down at her watch. "We better get going."

The others nodded and they all filed out. Once they had reached the Great Hall and got inside, they realized they were early. They sat down as a group at the table, three on each side.

They all were talking as Nyx was writing in a small, black, leather-bound notebook. "Hey Nyx," came a somewhat irritated voice.

"Oh, hey Remus," she said as she returned the notebook to her robes. She looked up and saw the other boys sitting down, James and Sirius had devious smiles. "Hey guys."

They all greeted her; Peter had to explain how James had accidentally set fire to Remus's bed. 

After all the students had entered the Great Hall, the platters filled with all sorts of delicious-looking foods.

"Where's Peter?" Nyx asked, settling down next to Sirius on the common room's couch.

"Why are you up?" James and Sirius asked at the same time. "Jinx!" they shouted at one. "Double jinx! Triple jinx! Quadruple Ji-"

"Oh _shut up_!" Nyx said, taking a throw pillow and hitting Sirius in the face, who had been turned to point with James. Remus held in his laughs.

Sirius glared at her. "Well?" James asked.

"I was up studying and I didn't want to sleep so I came down here. And you three?" she asked.

"Peter had too much sweets and threw up," James said, scrunching his nose. "He had to clean it up, but it still stinks like Snape." He smirked.

Nyx nodded. They sat in a comfortable silence, watching the crackling fire and just enjoying the peace. The air was warm and the atmosphere was soft and cozy.

But it was James's stifled laughter that brought the other three back to reality. They looked at him in question. "Sorry," he said, his laughs rising in volume. "I was thinking about what Snape would look like as a ballerina!" Sirius and Nyx thought for a second before they both barked out laughing, while Remus shook his head disappointingly.

"Him in a tu-tu!" Sirius agreed in a loud laugh.

"And little ballerina slippers!" Nyx exclaimed.

"Then we could make his hair pink again!" James said. "He'd be matching himself!"

"We should totally find a way to change the color of his robes!" Sirius said, hopping up to sit tall with James.

"Oh, Godric, yes!" James said, eyes growing wide.

"Guys . . ." Remus said, tiresome.

"Remus, without pranks, life would be _pointe-less_!" Nyx said with a smirk.

James and Sirius hesitated before becoming fits of laughter. Remus hid his face in his hands. "Oh, good lord. . ."

"Here, let's talk about this tomorrow while we're at the library looking at spell books," Nyx said.

Sirius gave a sad sigh, wanting to be able to start at the prank now. But him and James knew it was getting late, and Remus certainly wasn't looking as lively as he usually is. 

In a couple of minutes, the four were fast asleep; the light of the fire glowed, presenting a scarred boy curled into a ball with his head on the shoulder of the boy with wild hair and circular glasses, and a boy with neat, black short hair with his head rested back into the cushions, a girl with the same raven hair leaned on his arm. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Nyx woke up to Marlene shaking her awake. "Nyx! Guys! Come on!" she exclaimed.

"Wha'?" Nyx yawned, sitting up and stretching in her four post. Marlene ran over to the next bed and started waking up Alice. Nyx pulled back the curtains and was immediately blinded by the bright white light shining in from the window. It was a particularly sunny day in late November and the snow glistened brightly. Nyx squinted her eyes as she got up hastily. "Mars, I wanted to sleep in for once," she said, searching through her dresser.

The others groaned with agreement.

"Yes! But I got to sleep really early so we could all go to breakfast together for once!" Marlene said, pointing at her. Marlene, Lily, Alice, and Dorcas usually went to breakfast together, while Mary claimed she needed her 'beauty rests' on the weekend; Nyx usually sat with the four other Gryffindor boys in their year. She then pulled back Mary's curtain (who was the only one sleeping behind the sound-protected curtains) and tried waking her up.

"Marlene, I need my sleep if I'm gonna be happy," Mary growled, then pulled the blankets over her head and curled into a ball. Marlene dropped her jaw by Mary's actions.

"Don't hide from me!" Marlene said. She raced to her bed to grab a pillow and threatened to hit her with it.

"Marlene," Alice warned.

"C'mon! I don't want to miss breakfast!" Marlene said.

Lily checked her clock that sat on her nightstand. "We only have half an hour before breakfast," she said, getting up with a hop and then opening one of her drawers.

"I'll wake up then," Mary insisted. 

"No you won't," Alice said. "You always miss it when we trust you to wake up, then you go on complaining how you're hungry for the rest of the day.

"Yes I will!" Mary said, forcing her pillow over her head.

"Here, I'll set an alarm and wake up in thirty minutes and come down with Mary," Nyx said. "We'll sit with you guys there."

"Well dress warm, we're going outside after this," Marlene said finally. The other girls dressed in long-sleeve shirts and jeans, while Nyx cranked the knob on her watch before falling back asleep.

And Nyx and Mary did wake up. And then they agreed to fall right back asleep. The others weren't impressed. But once the two finally did get dressed, Nyx had Mary sneak into the kitchens with her. Mary thought this was way more fun then waking up early to go to the great hall.

Once the two ate, they went outside where the other four girls were already throwing snowballs at one another. And together, the six made a very, _very_ tall snowman (Wingardium Leviosa came in handy). Noah and Eli had both come to help once they saw the two enormous stacked snowballs. Eli had even charmed the creation to dance once it was finished. After lunch, they all went back outside, this time Nyx was with the four boys. 

James and Sirius and Peter hid behind the forts they had made earlier while they ambushed teachers and Slytherin students. Remus had found himself a neat little hiding place behind the snowman, where he was no longer to his three friends that had carried and forced him out there. He didn't like the idea of being caught with them once a professor found them.

But Nyx was another problem for him - well, kind of. She forced him up and quickly made a snowball, gave it to Remus, then made one for herself. "Why don't _we_ find the girls and show Sirius, James, and Peter, what a _real_ snowball fight is like?" Remus could remember the devilish smirk on her face. He had agreed. And _bloody hell_ was it fun. The three boys couldn't hadn't known where the mass of snowballs were coming from at first. Nyx even knew a spell for making more snowballs efficiently. Lily had also found a particular liking towards targeting James.

Once the three had seen the seven, it was all war and havoc. Many times Remus and the girls had been hit square in the face by Sirius (who seemed to be the better of them all). Peter was getting constantly hiding behind structures, Marlene and Dorcas had a fun time getting back at Sirius by making larger snowballs and levitating them over Sirius, then dropping them on him (by which he would plummet to the ground, if the two girls were lucky); Lily and Alice were the suppliers, who were hidden behind one fort, making piles of snowballs for the others to come run over and restock; and Nyx had Remus had agreed upon betraying the girls and becoming their own team. Him and Nyx even established a point system between themselves; Marlene and Dorcas were worth thirty points if you hit them (they truly knew how to keep track of everyone and hide well), James and Sirius were worth twenty (they seemed to always be running), Peter and Alice and Lily were worth ten, and if you were successful in stealing snowballs from Lily and Alice without being hit, you'd earn fifty points. Remus had earned nearly four hundred points by mainly being able to get Dorcas and stealing from Alice, while Nyx had gotten up to one thousand before Remus caught her jinxing the snowballs into shooting at the others. He had to admit, this was probably the first time he had fun outside in the winter since he was around five-years-old.

Marlene's siblings had then joined in on the battle. Carson suggested they grouped up in teams of three or five (they agreed five), since there were fifteen of them. And so, because Noah wanted to be able to throw at his twin, he teamed up with Nyx and Remus, Cameron and Mary; after Nyx and Noah started making the worst puns, Remus jokingly named them the _Ancient Tombs_ because "you two are going to make me want to bury myself six feet under" (Nyx and Noah became a duo of hysterics and decided to officially call them that, much to Remus's demise). James and Sirius instantly chose Eli because he was on the Quidditch team (so was Carson, but he was in Ravenclaw), and Marlene and Dorcas also joined their team because they both were fond of the sport too; they named themselves the _Beaters_ , a pun Noah and Nyx both enjoyed too; they also were the ones who named the team of Carson, Megan, Peter, Alice, and Lily the _Chasers_ because "they're the ones who make the scores!".

The _Ancient Tombs_ were easily the best at hitting everyone (most likely because Noah and Nyx had their wands out half the time, but nobody else needed to know). Although, the _Beaters_ came in a close second anyway. But soon, the battle ended when Noah and Eli were too mesmerized by the giant fort the _Chasers_ team was making, and everyone started helping to work on it.

Once dinnertime, the fifteen of them got inside and realized just how cold they had been.

"Holy shit I'm freezing!" Nyx said once they entered the Great Hall. It was as if all her sensory neurons were brought back to life.

The others commented in agreement. Carson had split from the group to join his friends at the Ravenclaw table (Megan decided to go with him), Cameron went to go sit with the Head Boy in Hufflepuff, and Noah and Eli sat with Nyx and the four Gryffindor boys. 

They all had bright pink noses and cheeks and were shaking visibly.

"I'm going to be sleeping good tonight," Noah said as he sipped his hot chocolate.

"Can't say the same for me," Remus said. Noah and Eli and Nyx sent him a questioning look. "Considering this morning . . ." he looked to the other three boys and glared at them. They all had to hold in their laughs.

"What happened?" Nyx said with a visible smile. She crossed her arms with her elbows on the table as she leaned forward, already interested in what happened. 

"Well," Remus said, taking his narrowed eyes off James. "My bed can't even be defined as a bed anymore, due to this idiot-" he pointed a finger to James "-thinking he'd be able to do a complicated shrinking charm on the first try, and therefore, try it out on my mattress!" he finished with an annoyed smile and wide eyes. "It's in pieces! All of it! The cotton, the stuffing, my blankets, my pillow, the freaking springs! It took twenty minutes to clean up!" 

The others broke into laughter. 

"Too bad you don't have it all anymore," Nyx said.

"Why would I keep the insides of my mattress?" Remus asked incredulously. 

"Just a simple repairing charm would do the trick," Nyx said, as if it were obvious. 

"Oh yeah! We know the charm!" Noah said.

"No, we were _taught_ the charm," Elijah corrected. "If you want your bed to still look like absolute dragon dung, then have Noah do it for you." Noah rolled his eyes. "Besides, how do you know it? It's only taught to second-years," he asked Nyx.

"Books," she explained simply.

"You can perform it?" Remus asked, lifting his brows with Noah and Elijah. 

Nyx shrugged. "I made it something to learn when I saw an upperclassman fix their broken glass goblet."

"You learned it on your own? It's a transfiguration's spell!" Noah said, wide-eyed. "I'm in third year and I still can't do it!"

"Why not?" Nyx asked.

"What do you mean 'why not'!?" Noah asked. "It's bloody hard is why!" he said quickly. 

"Maybe if you tried actually reading the textbook, you'd learn a thing or two," Eli said flatly.

"I have! No textbook is gonna give me ability!" Noah hissed. He was sick of hearing this from his older siblings.

Eli opened his mouth but was beat to it. "Then try _not_ looking in the textbook."

The others looked at Nyx as if she was mad. Noah cleared his throat in annoyance. "How in the world am I supposed to get it right, then? Professor McGonagall wasn't the least bit helpful, and she practically devoted her time to me," he deadpanned.

"Most wizarding families don't want their young attending muggle schools before they go to a wizarding school because the children aren't able to keep in their magic. And that's without a wand or any teachings - even when they're only first learning to walk. They didn't read a few instructions to find out how to conjure their toy, they just _wanted_." Nyx waited for a reply while she took a sip of her peppermint hot chocolate. When she didn't get one, she started again. "Look, maybe you should try breaking a twig in half, and just experiment. Everyone learns differently," she said, and didn't wait for a response this time. 


	9. Chapter Nine

"I asked my parents if I could have you all over for Christmas break," James said, showing a letter as he sat down on the common room's couch. 

The three boys grinned widely, while Nyx continued to read her book on the floor, leaned up against the couch next to Remus's legs. "I'll ask my mum," Peter said almost immediately.

"I could ask my dad," Remus said after, closing his own wizarding novel that Nyx had given him. 

Sirius was about to reply, but his smile faltered. His parents wouldn't mind as much if he was forced to sleep in the room as the pure-blood Potter boy, but they would very much mind him going over to stay at his place for the holidays. "I don't think my parents would let me," he said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Why not just say you're going to stay here, but instead hop on the train?" James said, a devious smile playing on his face. Sirius mirrored his expression.

Remus hated to be the one to have to say it. "You have to sign the list if you are staying. The parents are notified when the child signs up."

Sirius and James both frowned.

"Say you're going to my place."

The others looked at Nyx with confusion. "Yours?" Sirius asked.

Nyx closed her book and turned to them. "You are going to spend your holidays with a new friend from school. And this friend just happens to be a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin and a blood-related relative?" Nyx let out a small, light laugh. "Even tell her I'm in Gryffindor, too - it'd lighten the weight on you."

Sirius beamed at her. "Really!?" he asked.

Nyx shrugged. "Sure, go for it."

"Does this mean you can come too?" James asked hopefully.

"Me?" Nyx asked, furrowing her brows.

"Yeah, we hang out with you, too," he explained. "We have extra rooms, so don't worry," he said quickly, swallowing after.

"Oh, well thanks," she said nonchalantly, succeeding in not showing how surprised she truly was. "I'll owl my father later- no, I'll owl my mum, she won't make it weird, if you know what I mean," she said, and they all laughed.

"Overprotective dad?" Peter asked.

"Eh," Nyx said, nodding her head to the side. "Not really, just . . . he can _really_ be a pain in the arse sometimes," she said, and rolled her eyes.

"So your mum is the moralist, is what I'm hearing?" Remus asked, smirking.

"Oh, she gets _so_ annoyed when my father and I start cussing at each other!" Nyx laughed. 

"You don't seem to swear a lot," Sirius said. Even though the four boys did spend 80% of their time with Nyx, they hardly ever talked about her life out of Hogwarts. The boys talked a lot in the dorm, and Sirius had even managed to tell them of the colors of the walls and ceilings at Grimmauld.

Nyx let out another laugh. "Drop something on my foot in my house, I'll swear really loud that my mother comes out and yells at me, but father just thinks it's absolutely _hilarious_ that a four-year-old knows the difference between 'bitch' and 'beach'!" They all laughed.

"I need to meet this man!" Sirius said.

"Oh, he'd love you," Nyx said honestly. "All four of you. He asks about you guys in the letters he sends me. I swear it's all I ever get from him anymore!" 

"Aw," Peter said. "You write about us?" he teased.

"I literally have nothing else to talk about, okay? You guys are my last resort," Nyx grinned.

"Wow, thanks, I feel so special now," Remus said flatly, though he was grinning too. Nyx rolled her eyes.

"So who's his favorite?" James asked with a smirk.

"Sirius." James dropped his jaw and Remus and Sirius broke out into laughter.

" _Him_!?" James asked.

"It's the one Black relative he'd be able to stand besides my grandfather!" Nyx laughed.

"Nah, he just loves me because I'm so dazzlingly handsome!" Sirius said, stroking his hair while smirking at James. James's laughs were stifled before he hit Sirius with a throw pillow."You're pathetic, Sirius."

"Nonononono," Sirius said, looking alarmed at the letter he received at breakfast.

"Hm?" Remus hummed in question, sipping his apple juice.

"My mother wants to meet you, Nyx," Sirius said quickly. "At the platform when we arrive next year!" he said with great worry. "She wants to meet your mother, too." The other boys seemed to realize just how bad this was.

"Okay?" Nyx said, then took in a cube of cantaloupe.

"No! Not okay!" Sirius said. "She says I can't go if you don't meet, though." He sunk back, staring at the now folded letter.

"Sirius, relax. It'll be fine, trust me," she said calmly. "Besides, that's a whole 'nother . . . nine months away? I don't know, I don't want to do the math," she said.

Sirius opened his mouth to speak when a bird came flying down. It was a beautiful red morph eastern screech owl that landed in front of Nyx carefully, then stood proudly as she took the note off the ankle. 

"Let's see what Cyrus wants," Nyx muttered as she opened the letter. She tapped her shoulder and the owl climbed until it reached the spot. 

The boys, and many others sitting around them, watched as the owl stood tall on Nyx's shoulder, overlooking everyone and turning its head every few seconds to look elsewhere. Nyx drew a breath and let it out, rolling her eyes as she re-folded the parchment.

"That's a well-trained owl," James said, motioning to the still bird.

Nyx nodded as to symbolize a shrug. "It's my brother's. He's not happy I won't be there for Christmas and he already went through with our parents that I owe him extra presents!" she said sarcastically and rolled her eyes again. 

"You have a brother?" Remus asked. The others passed the same confused look.

"Younger by one year," Nyx said simply. "'Name's Cyrus. This is his owl Alata," she said, then stroked the owl.

"I think I need me an Alata," Noah said from the other side of Eli, who was sitting diagonal from Nyx. "She's pretty, too."

The others nodded in agreement. 

"So you can go?" James asked finally.

"Yeah, they aren't very strict," Nyx said, and gave the owl a small treat before letting it fly off.

"You're going to Potter's?" Lily asked uncertainly as she carried her own trunk off the thestral-pulled carriage.

"Yeah?" Nyx said, lifting a brow.

Lily thought for a second. "Er - never mind," she said. 

Many were boarding the train and finding their friends. Nyx decided to try the third car and search her way through it, and sure enough, the four boys had made it back to compartment C16. 

"Hey guys," she said, placing her trunk atop. They greeted her back. "Wanna see if we can go trick some Slytherins into buying us more sweets?" she joked with a laugh. She sat down beside Remus and scanned the page of the book he was reading. She furrowed her brows when she hadn't recognized it.

Remus looked up and saw her expression as she read it. "Oh, it's a muggle book," he explained and she looked up.

"What's it about?" she asked, guiding his hand to flip to the cover. 

"Well basically it's an adventure book that brings mythical creatures in as a way of heaven," Remus said, shrugging.

"Mythical, or _mythical_?" she asked, slightly smiling.

"Ehm, try humans with wings," Remus said, knowing there weren't any in the wizarding world.

"Ah. So what do they do?" she asked.

"It's more of, again, symbolism. They don't make an appearance besides just being there for people to impress," he said sarcastically, and they both laughed.

"Book nerds," James and Sirius whispered loudly together. 

Remus rolled his eyes and continued reading, very much noticing Nyx following along. He tried not to mind, though.

The other three boys talked all about what they'd do at James's house, and found themselves almost planning out what they'd do day by day. Nyx had bought them all sweets once the trolley came around, and basically dumped a load of wrapped chocolates in Remus's lap. He insisted he didn't want any, but she had guilt-tripped him into taking them. And for the rest of the ride, Peter, Sirius, and James talked and laughed and even sang, while the two 'book nerds' read the book, though Nyx had little to no clue what was happening as it was already halfway through the novel.

It had gotten dark outside and the other boys (after having so much sugar and running down the hallway) turned off the lights and started getting ready to sleep for their last two hours.

"Do you have your wand on you?" Remus asked Nyx as the other boys brushed the wrappers off their bench. "I have mine in my trunk," he explained.

Nyx nodded and pulled her wand out from the loop of her shirt. The boys and girls seemed to wonder if every one of her shirts had this addition. She handed it to him and he admired the wand up close for the first time. It was of yellow wood color, and the silver handle curved inward slightly and had an engraved feather coiled around it. "What type?" he asked.

"Silver lime," Nyx answered.

"Isn't that like the most expensive wood?" Sirius asked as he brought his knees up and leaned against the window.

"Eh, but it makes great for legilimency and occlumency," Nyx shrugged.

"And the core?" Remus asked.

"Feather."

Remus nodded and began to cast. "Lum- _bloody hell_!" he said, dropping the wand in his lap as the others also shut their eyes quickly. A blinding bright light had found its way at the tip of the wand before he could even finish what he was saying. 

"Can't say I'm surprised," Nyx said, taking the wand and giving it a small wave. I dim light appeared and barely showed a foot away. 

"What the bloody hell was that!?" James asked, squinting.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" Remus said quickly. 

"You're going to blind us!" Sirius said, his face still covered.

"I'm not reopening my eyes," Peter said.

"I don't think it likes me," Remus said, gesturing to the wand.

"Nah, you're just not used to it," Nyx smirked. She flicked her wand and the light formed into an illuminating ball in front of Remus and Nyx. She placed her wand away and nodded her head towards the book.

Remus blinked at her. He then opened the book back up and continued reading until they both fell asleep leaned up against each other.

The five rubbed their eyes and cheeks as they got off the train, having just woken up from their two hour naps. It startled all of them when Nyx was brought to the ground by a boy with nearly-white blond hair, and who was also just as tall as Nyx.

"Oi, Nyxie! Whatcha doin' down there?" the boy teased, smirking.

Nyx glared up at him. "I'm so happy I have the honor of leaving you twice," she said darkly. The boy rolled his eyes.

The boy helped her up and then hugged her almost formally. He looked to the other four boys who had questioning looks. "I'm Cyrus. You're Peter, James, Sirius, and Remus, correct?" he asked, going down the line. The four Gryffindor boys passed each other the same look.

"Cyrus!" 

"Over here!" the blond called. In just a few seconds, a fairly young-looking woman with raven hair up into a neat, but still messy bun, arrived.

"Hello, boys," she greeted. "I'm Myrelle, Nyx's mother," she said, and shook each of their hands.

"And why are you here?" Nyx asked.

"I had to see for myself who the four boys were that are suddenly more important than me!" Cyrus said, as if it were obvious. Myrelle hit him on the shoulder and he snickered.

"Your brother wanted to come see you," Myrelle said when Nyx looked for another answer.

"What? Is dad boring you?" Nyx asked.

"Yes! He made me go hiking with him!" Nyx laughed aloud. "I may seem fit, but I'm just a twig!" Cyrus said, motioning to his slim figure. "He's starting to make me work out with him ever since! Just because he can do a fifty-mile hike and I can't!" 

Nyx gained her breath. "Sucks to be you."

" _Bitch._ " " _Fucker,_ " they whispered, hoping for their mother not to hear them. They looked up and tried not to laugh when they saw their mum glaring at them anyway.

Myrelle took a large breath, when, to her joy, two older adults joined in. "Hello," they greeted. The adults shook hands, and while they introduced everyone, Sirius leaned to Nyx.

"Is your brother adopted?" he whispered, eyeing the boy's white, contrasting hair. 

Nyx turned into a fit of giggles. "Sometimes I truly hope he turns out to be!"

Cyrus eyed them. "What?" he asked, already suspicious. 

"Nothing," Nyx said, smile completely gone and a look of innocence replacing it.

"You liar!" Cyrus said, and attacked at her sides until Nyx had taken control and caused Cyrus to fall to the ground in a bundle of hysterics. 

"Guys, come on, we're in public," Myrelle said, turning to them and crossing her arms.

The two parted silently and shared the same unknowing look. The four boys were certainly amused, as were the Potter couple; whether it was because of how much they listen to their mum, or how quickly their faces could go from happy to neutral in two seconds, they didn't know themselves.

The kids then broke off from the adults and started talking on their own.

"So does your dad have white hair?" Sirius asked, still curious as to the boy's hair color.

The two siblings nodded. "And you are my second cousin once removed?" Cyrus asked.

"Oh right, forgot I'm related to . . . that," Sirius said, looking Nyx up and down. The others laughed.

"Try being her brother!" Cyrus laughed. Nyx dropped her jaw.

"Wow. I love all of you guys, so much," she said flatly. 

"Well I get to have meals with her," Sirius said to Cyrus, both of them ignoring Nyx. "And share a dormitory. And have all my classes with her. It's a pleasure if I don't see her while I'm in the loo!"

They all laughed loudly, with the exception of Nyx. "You two . . . should _never_ be allowed to hang out. Or spend three minutes with each other."

"Can you get me a dung bomb and mail it to me as soon as you can?" Cyrus asked, with hope in his eyes and totally ignoring his sister once more.

"Oh, I have one right here," James said. He pulled out a small green orb out from his coat pocket and gave it to Nyx's brother. 

"Sweet! Thanks mate!" Cyrus cheered. "I'm putting this on a door frame!" he exclaimed.

"A door frame?" Peter asked.

"So when someone shuts the door. . . ." Cyrus trailed with a devious look. 

The three prankers of boys had their faces lit up now.

"Please, don't ever use one in my bed again," Remus said, remembering all the times they woke him up with the small orbs.

Soon, Myrelle, Cyrus, and Nyx had said their goodbyes and the five Gryffindors were off to the Potter's for a long winter holiday.


	10. Chapter Ten

James had shown the four the many guest rooms, but they decided to leave their trunks in the hall and save the task for later. 

They went running through the large Manor on a speed tour, laughing as they all played tag (in which Nyx and Remus introduced them to. They were also slightly concerned for half-blood Peter, who somehow didn't know the game either).

Fleamont had made amazing supper, in which they all had around an extended table. And for dessert, Euphemia had made excellent rainbow jello. The five ran around the manor more - Remus was definitely the fastest. 

And by midnight, the kids were all downstairs in the basement.

"James! This bag has fake teeth in it!" Sirius said, holding a handful of what looked to be teeth.

Remus looked over. "That's the Styrofoam stuffing of the bean-bag you just opened," he said flatly, placing down a wizard trading card for a game Peter was teaching him to play. 

"But why teeth?" Sirius asked, placing the stuffing back in the zipper.

"They're not teeth!" James said. 

"They look like it!" Sirius said, and tried throwing a handful of the beans at James, but as they were Styrofoam, and very light, the beans hardly went far. 

James clapped slowly before picking up the unzipped bean-bag and knocking Sirius over with it. He laughed as many beans came out stuck to Sirius as he tried to get up. Sirius grabbed another bean-bag and knocked James with it. Both were now hitting each other violently with two bean-bags, one in which was going very empty very fast.

Soon, the floor was half-covered in the beans, which gave the two boys an idea. There were five bean-bags in total. Four were left to empty. 

Now, there was a pile of the 'fake teeth' on the ground. 

"I'm not helping clean that up," Remus said, looking at the mass of white.

"I will," Nyx said, "if that means I get to throw you guys in it!" she laughed.

Her and Peter got up quickly, each with a throw pillow in their hands. James and Sirius both chose their pillows and started up the fight, occasionally three of them targeting one to the ground. Remus enjoyed seeing them covered in the Styrofoam stuffing and getting beaten up. He felt almost like a sadist. That was until James and Sirius picked him up by the arms and legs and threw him in. Now he was covered - by both beans and pillows. 

But all five of them were laughing as they made a total mess of the basement. 

Nyx yawned and she sat up and stretched, bringing her arms up high. She stretched out her legs, but was stopped. She adjusted her sight and could make out an outline of a sleeping person. Nyx stood up, carefully walked her way to where she remembered the light switch being, and turned it on.

The person she had kicked was Remus, and he didn't much seem to appreciate the light, either. He groaned. "What time is it?" he mumbled in an interrogating voice.

Nyx looked down at her watch. "Eight o' seven," she said.

"Really?" Remus yawned, standing up. Breakfast at Hogwarts was at seven, which meant they had to get up thirty minutes earlier to even just walk all the way down to the main level, that is, not including having to get ready. He rubbed his face, mainly his eyes. "Why's the light so bright?" he asked.

"Er . . . because you wouldn't be able to see?" Nyx said. The light wasn't very bright at all. It had a yellow glow to it and lit the room just to the point where you could see a person's features from multiple meters away.

Remus shook his head as he stepped over James. He held his shoulder. "I really should have slept with a pillow, at least," he said, joining her by the stairs. 

"Agreed," Nyx said. "Should we leave them and grab some breakfast?" she asked, looking at Sirius, who was sprawled across Peter.

"Or?" Remus asked.

"See if his parents are awake to see if they can perform a charm to clean this up, then maybe grab a _lot_ of blankets, throw them over them, and then get some cereal?" she asked.

"Sure, but why with the blankets?" he asked, looking at the three sleepers. 

Nyx let out a small laugh. "If there's enough on them, they'll have a hard time getting out of them," she smirked.

And they did just that. Euphemia and Fleamont were getting ready for work (they had to leave at nine) and were easily able to come down and perform one simple, yet complicated spell. Then they were offered by Fleamont to make some oatmeal, if they knew how, while he went back upstairs to finish getting ready (they already planted the fifteen blankets they were able to find). 

"What are you doing?" Remus asked as Nyx looked through the many cupboards. "All the ingredients are out already?" he said.

"Yeah, but no. Not all. How about some vanilla extract?" she asked as she found the bottle. 

"That stuff is expensive, are you sure you think they'd want us using it?" Remus asked, very unsure.

Nyx spun around as she turned her head in multiple directions, looking at the massive kitchen. She stopped and looked back to Remus. "I don't think they'd mind," she said with furrowed brows and a smile. 

Remus opened his mouth, but closed right up. "Fine," he said finally after moments of comprehension.

Nyx added the vanilla in the pan of cooking oatmeal. She mixed it all up and then went on to grabbing an apple and a banana, and then strawberries from the refrigerator, along with blueberries. A knife was taken out of a drawer and then used for quickly slicing up the banana, and the apple after an apple-cutter was used on it.

Remus watched as she quickly worked. She was very good in potions, and it showed as she was able to watch the oatmeal, and the homemade strawberry jam she had started making. She was very good in every class, now that he thought about it. Perhaps it was because whenever she wasn't around them or in her dorm room, she was in the library. 

Nyx had Remus prepare the seven plates, glasses, and the toast. 

Euphemia and Fleamont had come back down and were astonished to find a table ready for breakfast. The bowls were filled with oatmeal, sliced apples, bananas and strawberries, and blueberries set perfectly assorted atop. Glasses were set upside down and plates had two pieces of toast fitted on them neatly. Apart from being terrible at cooking, Remus sure knew how to stay organized and make things look good.

"You two did all this?" Euphemia asked, sitting down in one of the chairs. 

The two nodded. Fleamont opened his mouth to say something as he sat down, but was beat to it.

"Okay! What did you two do!?" James asked, running into the dining room with Peter and Sirius.

"What?" Nyx asked innocently. Remus tried his best to mirror the curious look on her face. 

"I woke up drowning in sweat!" Peter said.

"Wasn't Sirius on top of you?" Remus asked, sitting down next to Nyx. 

"Well yes, but it was dark and full of blankets!" Peter retorted.

"And I had no idea where I was!" Sirius said.

"Yeah, you should have heard of him!" James was now smiling widely with a smirk. " _James! James! Where are we!? Peter!? You guys here!? Remus is this you!? No - that's James's arse-_ " 

"-Oh sod off!" Sirius said, his face bright red. Then the three boys saw the table. 

"Dad!" James exclaimed. "Since when did your breakfasts go from frozen waffles to life in paradise!?" he asked, sitting down across from Nyx.

"Then didn't," Euphemia smirked. Fleamont rolled his eyes. "Remus and Nyx made this all."

"Ohhh, that makes more sense." The others, besides Fleamont, snickered.

Because their breakfast was so pleasing, Remus and Nyx were now tasked with the job of early meals. Fleamont seemed to only be pleasant at dinners, while Euphemia took care of desserts and snacks. Lunches were mostly fresh meat sandwiches. 

Christmas had come around very quickly, and the five kids were brought to Diagon Alley to buy for their families and friends.

Sirius had gotten his mother an expensive necklace, and his father a new formal tie, both in which were ordered to be wrapped and delivered to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Then he and James and Nyx went into Quality Quidditch Supplies to look at the new broom and see what else they could find. Nyx had gone the easy route and just asked them what they wanted from the place, then bought it for them. James and Sirius both then took this idea and did the same, but Nyx insisted she didn't want anything much, and preferred Aconite Root and Dew Dew Psychodrops. She explained how the root of the plant isn't poisonous, and that it helps trigger more control of the frontal lobe of the brain, instead of the emotional center. She then went on about how teens use mainly the emotion center, instead of the frontal, or 'control', lobe. 

So James took the risk in buying the root of one of the most poisonous plants, while Sirius bought a pack of the Dew Dew Psychodrops.

Remus and Peter had gone into Amanuensis Quills, as they all seemed to need new quills for school. 

Nyx had split from James and Sirius, and gone into Rosa Lee Teabag for Fleamont. She then had gone into Magical Menagerie for treats for Cyrus to give to his owl. In her pocket, she realized she only had a few sickles left. So, she finished her lot off at Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, where she bought more small trick items for her brother, and also met up with the others, as expected.

"I'm going to Gringotts," she said to Sirius, who wasn't one out of the four that were very amused by the puffskein imitation joke product.

"Don't you need a key?" Sirius asked.

Nyx pulled the key out of her pocket to show it to him.

"You have your own vault?" James asked, eyes wide, suddenly distracted by the fake puffskeins.

"I have a joint with my brother," she shrugged.

"What's a joint vault?" Remus asked.

"It's a vault that you share with someone, but it's still divided, kind of," Nyx explained. "So if, let's say, a relative died and they favored me, they'd have their money given to me, but put in the joint vault, but on my side. Cyrus would still be able to take that money . . . but he has no reason too. We just have it because we didn't care enough to have our own." 

"You didn't want your own vault?" Sirius repeated. Nyx nodded. "And neither did your brother?" he asked and she nodded again. "Well, today's new topic is: _who the bloody hell are you two_!?" he asked incredulously. "My brother and I don't get along! I don't know any other siblings that do!" he said.

"Carson and Megan McKinnon. Eli and Noah McKinnon. Mary and Everett MacDonald," she said flatly.

"Mary has a sibling?" Remus asked.

Nyx shrugged again. "Mary tries to avoid him. Says he'll embarrass her."

"Okay, well," James said, interrupting the two. "I'm sure Mary and Everett wouldn't fancy or trust each other to share a vault. And Eli and Noah are twins, and so are Megan and Carson. I'm standing on Sirius's side." 

"Touche," Nyx said. "Well, I'll be going then," she said, getting impatient.

The five met at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor with Euphemia and Fleamont, then went back to the Manor using Floo Powder after they had their hot chocolates. 

Because they had done just fine the first night, the five all slept on the couches in the basement and would change in the bathroom that was conveniently located there as well. 

Now, it was Christmas Eve and they were back downstairs, lights all turned off, everyone with pillows and blankets, and trying to get to sleep, as it was already 2:00 (they had a pretty fun time hitting each other with pillows, playing _many_ wizarding board games, snacking on pretzels, and all in all, just straight up ignoring the clock).

"Remember when we all believed in Santa?" Peter asked, not being able to get to sleep.

"I tried catching him one year!" Remus laughed.

"Wait," James said. "He isn't real?" he faked before bursting into laughter with the others.

"What's Santa?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, fucking hell, Sirius," Nyx said sleepily.

" _Nyx_!" the others chastised.

"Wha- oh. Sorry, forgot," she said, realizing she swore. "Well, Santa is a made-up person who breaks into houses through their chimneys to leave presents for children. He also eats the cookies you spent hours making," she said flatly.

" . . . _what_?" Sirius asked, highly confused.

"Alright, she made it sound horrifying and creepy," Remus said, though he was on the bridge of laughing from it.

"Santa would bring presents for the kids who were good. If they were bad kids, they'd leave coal in their stockings," Peter explained. "He comes in the middle of the night, and kids would try and see if he's real by catching him leaving the presents."

"Uh huh," Sirius said, trying to understand the point.

"It's a way to bribe kids into being good!" Nyx said.

"Okay, someone put the silencing charm on her!" James said, and they laughed.

"Nyx, did you do Santa?" Remus asked, now thinking about it more.

"My parents tried to," Nyx said. "I was five when my brother and I ate the cookies during the middle of the night and, because our parents technically _are_ Santa, they knew. So we kinda knew by their interrogation, that he wasn't real. _Next year_ , they tried again, and we ate the cookies, knowing full well that our parents would've been the ones to instead. They couldn't say anything about it, but the year after that, they just kinda gave up as a whole." 

James, Remus, and Peter were in a fit of half-sleepy giggles. 

"Okay, to be fair," Nyx said, "isn't it rather more comforting to know your parents are giving you these presents than a creepy stranger who gives presents to everyone, not just you?" she asked.

The other three thought about this, then hummed in agreement. "Wait a minute . . ." James said. "Sirius, is this your first Christmas?" he asked.

"No, we do Christmas, but, I don't know," he said honestly. "It doesn't feel like this."

"Feels more arranged than a tradition?" Nyx asked. 

"Yeah," Sirius said. 

"Well Merry Christmas, bitches."

The four boys cursed themselves for laughing so hard.


	11. Chapter Eleven

After one very eventful breakfast (James and Sirius spiking the waffle mix), the seven went off into one of the smaller, more cozy, family rooms that was beyond decorated and lit with candles. 

Remus had gotten a new muggle book that had just come out from his father. It was known that his mother died of cancer when he was around eight-years-old. Fleamont and Euphemia ended up liking the self-brewing teapot and vanilla pear tea (a favorite of Nyx's). They all liked the new quills they had gotten from Remus and Peter, and James and Sirius and Nyx all pretended to be surprised when they opened their presents from each other. It was obvious to the others that they had known what they were getting. After the rest of the presents were unwrapped, the same red morph eastern screech owl flew down to the window sill and tapped at the opening.

Euphemia raised her brows in an impressed manner before getting up and letting the bird inside. Alata, the owl, was carrying a somewhat large package, clipped with two letters, both number _I_ and _II._

Nyx opened the first one and read out. " _Do not open second letter until present is opened. Also, Alata liked the sweets. Cyrus_." She took in a breath before unwrapping the box. She opened it carefully and a large critter came scurrying out and up her arm.

Nyx yelped as she jumped and the ferret-like critter got on top of her head, then ran down to coil around her neck before settling on her shoulder and examining the rest of the place. "People," it said. "Hail Cyrus." It's voice was neutral and without much tone. The others stopped laughing and instead now had big eyes. 

"Oh lord," she muttered. "Cyrus taught a jarvey then sent it to me," she said in an irritated voice.

The others broke out into hysterics. 

Nyx carefully walked over back to her spot and picked up the second letter, all while eyeing the creature suspiciously. She read the second letter aloud again. " _Yes. Yes I did do this just for you. You shall now love me-_ "

"Love is Cyrus," the jarvey said, causing everyone else to laugh. 

Nyx took in another breath. " _Already trained, no worries. You can teach it to say things you want. He started gnawing on my sweater -_ oh, so give it to Nyx to take care of!" she said sarcastically, causing especially James to laugh harder. " _So, Nyx -_ insert middle name - _Volant, you shall be the new owner of this magical pet. Tell him I miss him, although I don't. I didn't even name him so . . . have fun. Love you, Cyrus. P.S. thanks for the multiple joke products. Mom loves them too. -_ Alright. I might just hide a porcupine in his bed the next time I'm home," Nyx said, looking as if she was about to tear the letter apart.

James escaped his laughs. "Go back!" he breathed.

"Back to what?" Nyx asked.

"What's your middle name!?" Sirius asked. 

"It's . . . not happening," Nyx said, shaking her head.

"Oh, yeah it is," Peter said, knowing James and Sirius would be able to get it out of her. 

"What is it Nyx?" Remus smirked.

"No!" she said, holding the letter away from Sirius, who had gotten up to snatch the card from her. Euphemia and Fleamont were enjoying the scene from afar.

"I'm going to letter Cyrus, then," Sirius said.

"Hail Cyrus."

"No you bloody won't!" Nyx said, holding the parchment back farther as he jumped for it.

"What is it!?" Remus asked, slightly laughing as he too got up.

"Nothing!"

"Wait, what's your initials?" Peter asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah! We'll try to guess it!" James said.

"Fair enough," Nyx smirked. "My initials are N.A.D.V.." she said proudly.

"You have two?" Remus asked.

Nyx nodded with a grin.

"Well, okay, um . . . Angie?" Sirius asked.

" _Angie_!?" Nyx asked.

"It was the first name that came to mind!" Sirius defended. "James, you go."

"Amelia?" James asked.

"Do I look like a Nyx Amelia?" Nyx asked flatly.

"Do I look like a flea?" James asked. 

"Oi!" Fleamont said.

"Touche," Nyx said.

"Peter, you try," James said.

"A . . . Alex . . .Andra - Alexandra?" he asked.

Nyx shook her head.

Remus looked around the room for answers. Having no clue, and seeing the owl still perched on the coffee table, he said, "Alata?"

Nyx dropped her jaw before, she too, saw the owl. "Dammit, forgot she was there," she muttered with her face red. She snapped and the owl flew off.

"Wait a minute!" Remus said, and Nyx covered her face. "It's Nyx Alata!?" he asked.

She slowly nodded her head, and the boys filled the room with laughs.

"What does it mean?" Remus pushed.

"Without the second middle name, just Alata," she said flatly.

"Okay . . . so your two middle names is practically one?" Remus asked.

"Congrats, Remus."

He grinned widely. "So the other one - D, is it?" he asked.

"Aw, you think you'll get it," Nyx smirked. "There isn't an object in this manor to represent it."

"Just tell us," Remus said. "There'll always be Sirius here to, well, message your brother," he reasoned.

"Fine," Nyx said, giving in. "Nyx Alata Devastanteque Volant."

"Nyx, a lot of _what_!?" Sirius asked.

"Alata," Nyx said, enunciating her words even more clearly. "Deh-"

"Deh," they mimicked.

"Veh-"

"Veh."

"Stahn."

"Stahn."

"Teck."

"Teck."

"Deh - veh - stahn - teck," she said slowly.

"Deh - veh - stahn - teck."

"Devastanteque."

"Davatansteque," they tried quicker. "Wait-"

"Absolute idiots," Nyx said flatly.

"Alata Devastanteque," Remus repeated, although actually getting it. "I've heard that before, I think," he said.

"Really?" Nyx asked, eyes a bit wider. "Where?"

"Muggle book, I'm pretty sure," Remus said, trying to remember more.

"Well, today we have successfully managed to figure out how to _black_ mail Nyx, and embarrass her," Sirius smirked proudly, and Nyx glared at him.

The seven celebrate the New Year's by having eight-too-many desserts and a lot of soda. The holiday seemed to go by way too fast, especially for Remus, who was pretty quiet on the train ride back to Hogwarts. 

"Oi, you good?" James asked.

Remus shrugged. "Bit nervous about the exams," he lied.

" _Exams_!? That's in _months_!" James said, incredulous.

Remus lowered his head more. He wasn't up for talking right now.

But soon, he was laughing and talking with the others and occasionally eating some of the chocolates he'd gotten for Christmas.


	12. Chapter Twelve

"Nyx!" 

Nyx shot up from the shaking and yelling. "What?" she asked, heart rate rising quickly.

"Why is there a ferret in the dorm!?" Lily asked.

Nyx let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, sorry, my brother sent it," she said, and got out of bed hastily.

She searched until she found the Jarvey under Lily's bed. She then took it in her crossed arms out of the dorm, to the common room, petting it as it said "Nixie Nyx," and "Cyrus is love" and "Hail Cyrus".

Nyx now sat on the common room couch, feeding the creature a bit of the crackers someone must have left out on the table. She nearly fell back asleep when someone sat down beside her. 

"Is that a Jarvey?" Noah asked as Elijah went up to their dorm.

Nyx nodded tiredly. 

"Cool!" he exclaimed, then proceeded to pet the creature until it got up and rested in Noah's lap. "Aw, he likes me!" he said.

"Hail Cyrus."

"Cyrus?" Noah asked.

"My brother trained it to say that, and then sent it to me for Christmas," Nyx said, opening her eyes and sitting up taller. "His name is Cyrus, he's a year younger than me."

"Well I am Noah," he said to the Jarvey. "Hail Noah."

"Hail Cyrus. Cyrus is love."

"What? No!" Noah said.

Nyx let out a small laugh as the creature spoke more.

"Cyrus is king."

"No, _Noah_ is king," Noah said as he pointed at the creature.

"Hail king Cyrus."

"What!? No! You know what, here," Noah said. He took a cracker off the table and watched the Jarvey eye it. "Hail _Noah_."

"Hail Cyrus."

"No! _Noah_." Noah moved the cracker away from the creature. "Hail _Noah_."

"Hail . . ."

"Noah."

"Hail Cyrus."

"No!" 

Nyx snickered as she watched Noah move the cracker farther each time. 

"What's his name?" Noah asked, finally giving the jarvey the cracker anyway.

"Doesn't have one."

"What? But it's gotta!" Noah said, then looked at the jarvey with puppy dog eyes. He grinned when the jarvey mimicked the look. "How about . . . taco?"

"Taco?" Nyx repeated.

"Yeah! Like a tortilla! He has the fur of a burnt tortilla!" Noah explained. "You are now Taco," Noah said to the creature. Nyx rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Taco."

"Good Taco!" Noah said proudly, then fed him another cracker. "Now hail Noah."

"Hail Noah."

Noah gasped with excitement then fed him another cracker and pet Taco. "Good Taco!" he exclaimed. He hugged Taco then gave it puppy dog eyes again, and when it mimicked the look once more, Noah fed it another cracker.

Nyx woke up on the common room's couch and found a note on the coffee table. 

_I took Taco. He's sleeping with me since you fell asleep. You can have him back, though..._

_sadly._

_Taco is now calling me king. He loves me. I am now love._

_thank u._

Nyx let out a soft laugh and stood up, stretching, before heading back upstairs to her dorm room and getting ready for the day. When the girls were all ready, they headed downstairs and then to the Great Hall, where Noah was sitting with Taco cuddled in his dark brown, curly hair.

"Found a new friend, did you?" Nyx asked, sitting down across from him.

"Is that the ferret?" Lily asked.

Nyx nodded. 

"His name is Taco, and he is a jarvey," Noah corrected. The creature lifted its head up. "Hail Noah."

"Good Taco!" Noah grinned, and fed him a cracker from his robe.

"You named it Taco?" Marlene asked, looking to Nyx.

"No, your brother did," Nyx said flatly.

Marlene looked at him like he was daft. "Your hair is such a mess, it just blends in," Marlene muttered.

Noah dropped his jaw. "Bad Marlene!"

"Bad Marlene," the jarvey mimicked, monotone.

Marlene stared at the two.

Then Elijah sat down. "Ah, the rat finally found its nest," he said, sitting beside his twin. The girls all laughed with some of the older kids Noah was sitting with.

"He loves me more than you!" Noah said. "Bad Eli!"

"Bad Eli."

Eli stared up at the jarvey. "Can't believe you're my brother," he said finally.

Noah rolled his eyes.

"Love is Noah."

"Oh Godric," Elijah said.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

"Where's Taco?" Nyx asked, seeing Noah walking the corridors without the Jarvey in his hair.

"Apparently," he started in a snobby manner, "one isn't allowed to have a jarvey as a pet!" He lifted his arms up in a sarcastic questioning manner.

"So . . . Taco is where?" Nyx asked, cocking a brow. 

"In my dorm hopefully not eating any cloth," he said sheepishly, now playing with his hands.

Nyx nodded her head to the side and then started walking with him. "Can't say I'm surprised. Have you tried giving him a box of some sort? Or like a cage?" Nyx asked.

Noah thought for a second. "See, that's very smart, if I had a cage. Or a box." 

"Just put him in your trunk," Nyx said. When he didn't respond, she changed the subject. "You're heading off to Potions?" she asked.

He nodded. 

"You're going to . . . Transfigurations?" he guessed slowly. 

"Close," she grinned. "Herbology."

"Lucky, you don't have to deal with an obsessive eighty-year-old that likes to collect children," Noah mumbled.

It was quiet until they both barked out laughing. And until they reached the staircase which leads to the dungeons, they were making the worst jokes about the professors.

"Can't believe Remus has to go back for his father _all the time_ ," Sirius whispered as Remus left to climb the stairs to the dormitory.

Nyx looked up from her book. And James and Peter looked up from the essays they were writing. They had all been sitting at one of the study tables in the common room.

"Sirius, we don't know what type of illness he has," James reasoned.

"Exactly," Sirius pinned. "Whenever we try asking, he changes the subject."

" _Sirius_ ," James said, starting to get annoyed.

"What?" Sirius said defensively. "We're his friends!"

"His father probably has Mooncalf's Disease," Nyx said. 

They looked at her in question. 

She went on. "Mooncalves can obtain fleas. When one of the fleas takes blood, then leaves the host and transfers to a person, the new host can be infected. It's very dangerous," Nyx finished quietly. "It only shows an effect monthly."

Sirius swallowed, and James and Peter nodded. 

And Remus resumed his climb up the stairs, a sick feeling in his stomach that wasn't just caused by the arriving full moon.

The match against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw brought new awareness to the Gryffindor girls. Everett, Mary's older brother, was a fifth-year and the captain of the Hufflepuff quidditch team. He was also a brilliant chaser. Mary had looked sick as the group of six passed older female students that were talking about Everett, and how _dashing_ and _handsome_ he looked. Mary turned to Nyx and pointed to her open mouth. Nyx only laughed and smirked. 

Hufflepuffs had won as soon as their seeker caught the snitch, and even before that, they were still winning by over fifty points. Everett was a pretty good player. But so was Carson, Marlene's older brother who was the seeker of the Ravenclaw team. He had only millimetres to go before he would have caught the snitch, but the Hufflepuff seeker had dived in at the last second.

"Oi! Nyx!" James called, coming out from the castle with the other three boys.

All six of the girls turned around. "What?" Nyx asked.

"We're going to be going around the castle tonight-" 

" _No_ , we are most definitely _not_ ," Remus cut in, crossing his arms and raising his brows to challenge him.

James swallowed and nodded but turned back to Nyx anyways, who was watching with an amused look on her face. 

"If he doesn't go, we're making him," James whispered to her with a mischievous smirk.

Nyx grinned back and winked. 

Remus saw the action and narrowed his eyes at the two. 

"Look, Remus, we are a-okay with you staying back," Sirius said with a wide grin, clapping a hand on Remus's shoulder.

Remus turned his gaze to the boy beside him. "I hate all of you," he said, then turned to re-enter the castle.

James waited until he was out of sight, then exchanged the familiar look with Peter, Sirius, and Nyx. "We're checking out the East Tower," he said in an excited voice.

"I'll wait down in the common room. Come down after he is asleep, then we'll figure it out from there," Nyx said, and they both then said their goodbyes. 

"You're not actually going to sneak out, are you?" Alice asked, holding her left elbow and slightly frowning.

"Why not?" Nyx asked.

"Nyx, you guys could get into serious trouble," Lily warned.

"James and Sirius get detention all the time! It's no big deal," Nyx said with a small unbelieving laugh.

"And forcing Remus with you?" Dorcas asked.

"We've been doing this a lot," Nyx said in a more reassuring tone. "We take Remus with us . . . he ends up having a lot of fun . . . we hear Filch or Peeves or Mrs. Norris coming and we hide. And when we _do_ happen to get our tails caught, James and Sirius always make sure they get Remus out of trouble. It was _one time_ when Filch _did_ see Remus, and we made it up to him after we all got out of detention. He was fine with it after," Nyx concluded.

"Nyx, you still shouldn't force people to do things they don't want to do!" Lily said. 

Nyx almost stepped back at the outburst; her eyes were wide along with Mary's.

"I told you: he's fine with it after? He's always laughing once we're running around," Nyx repeated.

"And what happens when someone gets hurt?" Lily asked.

" _Hurt_?" Nyx asked, staring incredulously at the redhead in front of her. "Lily, we're just sneaking out at night and exploring the castle? We already have the Arithmancy and Ancient Runes classrooms memorized, along with Muggle Studies. It's harmless! You're always asking how we're able to get to class super early."

"And when Remus came back limping? Or when he's super exhausted?" Lily confronted.

"Exhausted - probably because we're up late and running around. Limping . . . okay, maybe did try sliding down the banister-" 

Lily scoffed.

"Lily, what does this have to do with you!?" Nyx asked finally. "You always hate having to sit next to them in class, or even when we're just playing around at the other side of the room. You don't even like them! Why do you care if we're running around!?" 

"What about all the pranks?" Lily asked. "What about all the name-calling? What about all the jinxes they throw at Severus?" she asked, then immediately regretted what came out of her mouth.

"Us sneaking about at night, has _nothing_ to do with the pure-blood-wannabe. You don't like my friends, and I don't like yours. I'm fine with keeping it that way, as long as you keep the thoughts to yourself." 

Lily opened her mouth but closed it almost immediately. She didn't know what to say. "I- I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Nyx looked away, over around them, before heading off into the castle.

Mary followed in after a moment's hesitation. The others knew Nyx was right, but Lily did have a point; the four boys - well, Sirius and James - constantly bullied Severus. It seemed to be their favorite thing to do. Lily also had a growing loathing for the girl; she hung out with the boys and sometimes even supported them. 

The night had been fun for Remus, they never even once met up with the caretaker or his nasty, dirty-looking cat, or even Peeves. It was actually pretty peaceful. They had found the Divination classroom by climbing a silvery ladder through a trapdoor. They had then played with all the crystal balls and even pretended to have a tea party. 

James insisted they play tag for their way back to the Gryffindor tower, and Remus insisted it was a very bad idea. But when Peter had tagged him, Remus was all in. He ended up being tagged the least, as they all had expected.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

The months until the Easter Holidays had gone fairly quickly. Nyx knew that Lily was doing her best to avoid her, and respected that - she didn't want to make it awkward in the dorms, especially with the other girls there. Snape had found more friends when Lily wasn't around. He liked the second-year Slytherin, Mulciber, best. And Mary had found that she rather liked Nyx, despite what Lily and Alice (and kind of even Dorcas and Marlene) had thought of her. She felt bad whenever Nyx would leave the dorm and the other four girls would start talking about her. 

The five girls would talk a lot while Nyx wrote down information of spells, or potions, or plants, or any other thing that she knew she would have to learn in later years, on scrolls of parchment. The other first-year Gryffindors say she's probably checked out more books from the library than a seventh-year has throughout all their years. 

Mary had then decided to spend more time with the girl and try to get to know her. She actually found out a lot. Her mother worked in the Department of International Magic Cooperation at the Ministry, and was also skilled in architecture. Her mother does a lot of travelling and Nyx sometimes doesn't see her for a few weeks when she leaves. But Nyx says her mother insists she makes up for it by teaching her French and German. Myrelle, her mother, Nyx, and Cyrus are all now fluent in the two languages. She and her brother don't seem to mind learning.

And her father, Locus, is apparently obsessed with Latin; Nyx reckons it's because he knows a language his wife doesn't. Nyx and Cyrus also know Latin because their father wanted to be able to talk secretly. It only worked until Myrelle started learning the language too. Nyx told her how she used to get confused between the languages (though she was learning them at different times), and she had to stop using the other three last year because it was such a problem - she kept using 'danke' instead of 'thank you' to strangers, and they always thought she was saying 'donkey'. 

But Nyx knew a lot about Mary, too. She was a half-blood (her mother, Maia was a witch, and her father, Luis, a muggle). Her father was also French, and he had taught Mary a lot of the language. Nyx and Mary agreed to talk in French at random times just for fun. Her mother, however, was Welsh (but spoke English). Her father moved to Wales so he could be with Maia. 

Mary mainly spoke of herself in the dorm, and Nyx didn't consider it eavesdropping whenever she listened to the girl's conversation because it was also her dorm, so she already knew most of what Mary told her. Mary's brother, Everett, is very quiet and shy. Despite being captain of the Hufflepuff quidditch team, he doesn't like being centre of attention. Mary says she's never been able to name one person who didn't like him. 

Once the Easter Holidays did come, Sirius had to go back to Grimmauld, and Peter was going with James's. Remus, though, said he had to stay. Nyx felt bad that he would be staying here alone and declined Mary's offer to go over to her house (and James's offer). But she did say they could owl during the summer and even meet up a couple times. 

"Nyx?" Remus said as the last of the Gryffindors were grabbing their luggage from their dorms, bringing it down, and heading through the portrait hole. But instead of doing so, Nyx was sitting still on the common room's couch, already having said goodbye to Mary, Peter, James, and Sirius. Remus himself had just gotten back from saying goodbye to the other boys near the entrance hall. 

Nyx looked up. There were very few in the common room now - Noah, and three other older Gryffindors were staying. Noah was originally going to go back to his house for the holidays, but once he found out Nyx and Remus were staying, he signed up to stay, too.

He had said that Elijah was going to one of his Ravenclaw's friend's house and Carson was going to Everett's house (it was Carson's first year on the quidditch team and Everett couldn't help but be admired by him when they played their match, and Carson had always thought Everett was one of the best chasers he's ever seen at Hogwarts, so they quickly became friends after the match), Carson and Elijah happened to be the two siblings Noah could stand the most, and he didn't want to be constantly chastised by his two older siblings about his grade, and annoyed by his two younger siblings, Nolan and Xavier (Marlene was going to Dorcas's, along with Alice).

Noah also said how he thought he should get some practice on his magic abilities, considering he was able to master the mending (or repairing) charm. 

"The carriages should be leaving in about twenty minutes, and even with the short-cut we found, it's going to take about _twenty minutes_ to get down there," Remus said, looking down at his watch once to check. 

"Oh," Nyx said, successfully (and easily) holding back her smile. "Okay." She then shrugged and went back to reading.

" _Nyx_. You need to leave," Remus said, looking at her as if she were the maddest person out there.

"Jeez, didn't know you wanted me gone _that_ badly," Nyx said, still not shedding a smirk. She had told the other boys she wasn't leaving Hogwarts, and had informed them to not tell Remus. 

"No- I- I just meant-"

"I'm kidding Remus," she said with a small smile, but didn't look back up from her book.

"But Nyx, aren't you going to Mary's?" Remus asked after hesitation. 

Nyx took in a deep breath, then looked him in the eye. "Remus. I'm starting to re-evaluate how smart I think you are." She still wasn't cracking a smile.

He thought for a second. "Y-you're not going?" he asked. He didn't know if it came out sounding hopeful or worried - he didn't want to be spending the Holidays alone, but on the other hand, he only had to stay because of the full moon, and he didn't want to have to lie to her, especially when 'he could've just gone to his father's for the whole break'. He'd had already lied to his friends about the reason he couldn't go to James's (his father wanted him to study more for the upcoming exams), and he didn't want to lie further. It was much better having to stay in a large spacious shack than in the empty basement of the place he somehow called home. 

"Of course not," she said, now smiling brightly. She truly did have an affect on him - Remus was now smiling too. 

"Why?" Remus asked, sitting down next to her, the smile slowly fading. 

"Really think I trust you to stay here on your own for two weeks and not fuck things up?" She laughed. 

"No, don't tell me you're only staying because of me!" Remus said, his brows now furrowed.

"Fine, I won't," Nyx said, then went back down to reading her book.

Remus looked at her like she had no brain. "Nyx!" he cried.

"What? Really think I'm better off spending my break with my brother I'll see in three months?" she asked.

"That's about the same amount of time that you won't see me after we've left Hogwarts!" Remus said, internally feeling proud of himself for remembering that. 

Nyx opened her mouth to retort, but found that he actually had a point. Coolly, she replied, "what? We won't visit in the summer?" 

"W-we could," Remus said a little more quietly. "But you still could've met Mary's parents?"

"And I can still meet them during the summer?" Nyx said, and before he could reply, she concluded it. "Look, I can't leave now. I'm going to be here anyways. Mind as well accept it and have fun."

Remus took in a deep breath and let it out. "You really piss me off sometimes," he muttered, sinking into the cushions as he watched the fire.

Nyx only smirked as she tried finding where she left off on the page of her book.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

"Nyx!" Noah exclaimed as she reached the common room. She had just woken up and treated herself by sleeping in. "You're still in your pajamas! It's nearly lunch!" he said.

Remus, over from one of the tables, wanted to burst out laughing at how large Nyx's eyes had grown. 

"W-what?" she asked hesitantly.

"It's eleven-forty!" Noah said.

" _Eleven-forty_!?" Nyx repeated. "Holy shit! Why didn't you wake me up or something!?" she asked.

"I can't!" Noah retorted, looking at her with disbelief.

"Why not?" Nyx asked.

Noah blinked. "Fine, just watch." He motioned her to the side and climbed the first step. He looked at Nyx, cocking one brow.

Nyx mirrored the look, but in a different manner. "Uh huh," she said, nodding slightly.

Noah then turned and tried climbing more, when the stairs had angled themselves and practically turned into a slide. Noah yelped as he instantly fell.

Despite him actually having a point, Nyx let out loud laughs with Remus and the other few Gryffindors that were watching. "Okay, fine, maybe you couldn't have done something."

"Thank you-"

"But could you please try that again after I've got my camera? Your face was priceless!" Nyx said, smirking wildly.

Noah looked at her with his eyes narrowed, but then a smile crept upon his face and he started laughing bitterly in the back of his throat. "Right when I thought I was getting a compliment."

"Oh, don't be too down, Noah," Nyx said. It amazed Remus how quickly she was able to go from cocky to sympathetic. "Your hair will always look the most pleasing." 

Noah scanned her face but couldn't find any sort of mischief or snark. "Er, thanks?" he said slowly.

"That's only if your Jarvey is looking for a place to live."

Noah dropped his jaw as she and the other Gryffindors went into hysterics. 

"I'm going to get changed," Nyx informed. "I'd recommend you do the same," Nyx said, then ran quickly up the stairs before he even had the chance to muster a word.

Later that evening, after dinner, Remus saw Nyx look around the common room suspiciously before stepping upon the first step up to the boy's dormitory.

Remus watched in an amused manner as she looked at the steps skeptically with each passing movement. Feeling brave, Nyx started running up the stairs quickly. Remus waited for the stairs to change, but they never did. A few moments later, Nyx came walking back down, looking almost disappointed.

She caught Remus's gaze and called, "Don't mind me, I'm just going to be going around calling this castle _a bit sexist_!" she said, then made her way up to her own dorm. 

Remus shook his head with a wide and amused grin. A few moments later, Remus lifted his head from his book when he heard the familiar voice behind.

"Who was the last one to clean their sheets?" Nyx asked in a tone that made Remus not even want to turn around in question.

"Uh- me," Remus said, now wondering if the others had ever changed their bedding.

"Okay, I think we both already knew that. And before you?"

Remus didn't respond. He was really trying his best to not speak ill of his friends at the very moment, while also trying to remember a time where they did clean their sheets - he actually started creating false memories of Peter changing his pillowcase.

"I see. The possibility of changing them without getting any sort of infection?"

Remus shook his head and bit in his cheek, cursing himself for wanting to smile or laugh.

"Guess what I just found out!?" Nyx called out loudly as she entered the common room with her arms out. 

"What?" Remus asked instantly, looking up from the last bit of homework he was finishing.

"I have bloody detention on Wednesday night!" Nyx said, then slumped lazily down next to her friend on the common room's couch. 

Remus stared at her. "One, how did you get detention when it's break? Two, why are you acting like Sirius? Is his 'dramatic-ness' started to rub onto you?" 

Nyx narrowed her eyes at him. "I just happen to come from a long line of dramatic arses," she muttered, now looking at the fire.

"What? The Volant's are always coming through your door yelling about the consequences they deserve?" he asked flatly.

Nyx looked at him like he was stupid. "Sirius and I are second cousins. We share the same grandfather," she said slowly.

" _Oh_. . . ." he then was trying to hold back his laughs. "Now it all makes sense!" 

"You already knew!" Nyx said, still slowly blinking at him.

"Well - you know, sometimes I forget," he said quietly.

"We literally have James that's always reminding us how we look so similar whenever we sit down next to each other," Nyx said.

Remus opened his mouth and hesitated before actually getting something out. "You know . . . you look very dashing today," he said with a hopeful smile.

Nyx rose her brows challenging at him. "What I also found out," she said, steering away the topic. "Phineas. Nigellus. Black.," she said promptly.

Remus gave her a confused look.

"Sir Phineas is both mine and Sirius's great-great grandfather."

"Okay . . .?" Remus said.

"Sir Phineas was a headmaster of this very school."

Remus now widened his eyes. "Two-thirds of the way through our school year and now we're figuring this out?" he asked. He'd never heard the name before.

"Well I get to sleep tonight knowing yet _another_ Black member I can hate. Dumbledore says he's all about 'pure-bloodity', as I call it," Nyx said as if it were completely normal.

"That sounds almost depressing. But why were you talking with Dumbledore?" Remus asked.

Nyx let out an airy sigh. "Detention matters."

" _D-Detention_!? With Dumbledore!? What did you do to catch _his_ attention!?" Remus asked, bolting upright.

"Oh, don't sound so worried. He's just the one who caught me, that's all. Then Filch came running by and took me to his office for getting his precious floors dirty!" she snarled. "So now I have detention on Wednesday night. Cleaning the trophy case in the dungeons out by the Hufflepuff common room."

"Oh, Godric forbid me from living with you," Remus mumbled as he rested back into the sofa. He then thought about Wednesday night. "What time?" he asked, trying to sound casual. 

"Six-thirty after dinner. But I bet I'll be there for hours more than how long trophy-cleaning takes. At least it isn't the trophy _room_ ," she said exasperatedly. 

Remus would have rolled his eyes if it were any other day. If Nyx kept waking up at the time she is now, Remus should be able to get back from the hospital after transformation before she can realize he's gone. And even if she did wake up earlier, he could say he was in the library or talking to a teacher about homework. . . .

And Nyx did leave to the dungeons right after dinner, bidding her 'last goodbyes' to Noah and Remus. Remus couldn't believe how he could possibly have forgotten she was related to Sirius. 

When he made sure that Nyx went down one of the staircases leading to the dungeon (which he did by following her in a totally-not-stalker-ish way), he speed-walked to the hospital wing and met Madam Pomfrey, who was helping him with his transformations. He took several potions, all to help relieve the pain while he was in control, before and after. Then he took some of the magic calming pills that made him so sleepy that she wouldn't allow him to stand up, but instead lay down and spend the next few hours getting some rest before the full moon was more near. 

Nyx, on the other hand, had to stop herself from punching one of the Slytherins that were passing by. She did, as expected, make it to the Gryffindor common room back late. She went straight up to bed and forced herself to sleep.


End file.
